Knowing Cristof
by LetoSai
Summary: Because of their inability understand him, they sent him to the Psychiatric Hospital. It wasn't that he had trouble comprehending things, it was that he knew too much. He had all the answers that they wanted and refused to give.
1. Hating white

Another short story.  
Wooo.  
Written be myself and my co-writer **Lovely. **  
Updates will be prety steady, let us know what you think.

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Cristof Grandie stared out the window from his room with a pleasant smile. He had a slight sway in his posture he couldn't seem to help. The gentle rocking back and forth was calming and he didn't even notice he did it. He never had.

The Blaren's Psychiatric hospital had been his home for some time. It was a small place but more then adequate to deal the number of patients it had. He liked the place fine at first, and would have liked it better had there not been so many neutral colors. The whites, browns, and grays became tiresome and he'd taken to staring out the window for color. He liked color.

He began to hum when his eyes lost focus and instead of peering outside he stared at his own reflection in the glass. He had to grin as if it were a secret for him alone. He had broken the last mirror placed in his room and since then he hadn't gotten another. He laughed as if it was a secret only he knew.

He pressed his cheek to the window, ignoring the rapping at his door. He wasn't concerned about it since he had no control over who came and went anyway.

"Hey you, brought your meds, and some lunch since they said you wouldn't come down. For some reason they think you'll eat for me. So now you gotta or I'll get heat, what do you say?" It was the voice of one of the nurses who had started fairly recently. Nurse Black. Though she insisted she be called Adia by everyone.

"Nippy out, the glass is chilled." He chuckled in response, breathing on the window so his breath steamed across it. He reached up to run his finger across the glass to draw a picture before it disappeared.

"You wanna go out we can get that fixed, food first though." She said, sliding the tray onto the desk before walking over to him to touch his arm, "C'mon sweets, I even got you somethin` special. Snuck it in just for you."

She reached in her pocket and pulled out a muffin still wrapped in plastic.

Cristof's eyes moved to her to the muffin and back to her again before he smiled. "Adia knows the food here is icky, right?" he said in an amused tone, reaching out for the muffin.

"You still need to eat sweets, promise?" She pulled the muffin out of his reach.

"I want the muffin." He pouted, for a moment looking much younger then he should have at twenty-three. He suddenly gasped dramatically. "Where did Adia get it?"

"Who knows, food time." She chuckled, not letting herself get sucked in. The boy had a way of talking circles around people and getting them confused.

"Adia stole it." he said knowingly and laughed. He turned back to the window and blew on it again to finish his picture before turning back to his food tray. "I didn't order this."

"Sure you did, you just don't remember. C'mon, eat half and I'll give you the muffin that I bought." she grinned.

Cristof snorted. "I remember. I remember very, very, very well. Yep. It's everyone else who is forgetful." He finally took a seat to eat, ignoring the medication completely.

"If you say so sweets." she leaned on the window, smiling lightly as she watched him, "Take the pills too."

"No." he said stubbornly, sipping from his plastic glass. "I'll take them when I wanna take them." He turned to look at her. "Can we go outside?"

"After you take the pills" she crossed her arms.

"Hn." he muttered, biting his own bottom lip hard for a moment. "When I feel like it."

"Alright then sweets." she walked over to put the muffin next to him, "And when you do and you've eaten some we can go out for a walk. You have a coat right? The extras they have smell funny."

He blinked slowly, swaying back and forth as he ate. "I don't like the extras. I have mine. It's old but it's not an extra."

"Well good then," she rubbed his back lightly. She liked that she could touch him. Several patients had a serious problem with being touched. "So's your brother coming to visit this week? He missed last week."

Cristof paused for a moment, mulling the words over. "At least Ezra does come." He stopped eating abruptly, and grabbed the muffin to bite into. "I dunno. Should I know? People always think I know."

"It's good that he comes, I didn't mean that sweets. I keep missin` him is all. Figured I ought to meet the relative of my favorite patient, specially when you talk about him so much." Adia offered.

Cristof laughed happily, clapping once. "Ezra is good. You know why? Ezra thinks that Ezra is older then me sometimes, but I don't mind that." He took another bite. "Ezra can be older if Ezra wants to be. That's what I said. I told Ezra to be what Ezra wanted. If Ezra wants to be older then fine. You know, Ezra doesn't look at me like I'm..." He made a gesture towards his head. "That's nice too."

"He shouldn't, there's nothing wrong with you and you're his brother" she said softly.

"Oh Adia." Cristof chuckled. "Adia is silly to think that." He licked his fingers as he finished the muffin and reached for the little paper cup that held his pills before swallowing them. He was used to taking them by now. "No more." he announced with a grin.

"Well let's go then." she smiled, not offended as some might have been at his comment. She knew he meant well and that was good enough even if he couldn't always manage the right wording.

He hummed softly for a moment, walking back to the window to peer outside before walking to his closet and pulling out his lighter coat. "It's gonna snow early." he mused. He moved closer to her, entering her personal space more then most liked. "Snow?"

"Probably." she shrugged, "I like the snow, don't you?"

"Used to." he answered vaguely, pulling wool gloves out of his pocket to put on despite it not being cold enough to need them. "I scared Ezra with snow once. I don't like it much anymore."

"That's a shame. I like taking walks in the snow, snow men; it's just a beautiful time of the year," She nodded for him to follow as she started out into the hall.

"I don't like white." he continued. "It's so white. I like green better." he pointed to the color of his coat.

"Green's a pretty color. What about read and gold. Like autumn. That's pretty too." she offered. She was sporting a red pair of scrubs herself.

"I like gold. Red is so red though." he said, sighing as if his commented had actually made sense. "But I like it more then white."

"Gonna make me pout over here. Red's one of my favorite colors mister." she chuckled.

He reached out to poke her cheek lightly. He normally kept his hands to himself unless he liked the person he was talking to. The more he liked them the more comfortable he felt with contact. "Have I hurt red's feelings?"

"Lil bit" she grinned slightly, "She's feeling slightly blue."

He shrugged then. "Then be accepting as blue and forget about what was said as red. Do you like blue now? Blue's nice."

"Nope, I'm pretty good with red. I'm headstrong like that." Adia mused as they walked up to the reception nurses station. "Hey Jean, I promised him a walk outside is Jim around to take him out?"

Cristof made a face. "I don't wanna go with him."

"Sweets, you know you need an escort and I'm not qualified." Adia offered a soft smile, "C'mon, it'll still be fun."

Jean smiled kindly between the two of them. Cristof was well liked considering what he was like sometimes. "I can have him paged if you like. I'm not sure if he's with a patient now or not. Gonna be another arrival or two in the next week."

Cristof was already shaking his head back and forth. "No, no, and no. Adia will take me out." He leaned over the desk and took the phone from Jean to hang it up before she could make her call.

"Cristof, honey, I have a bunch of work to do around here and you know I'm not big and strong enough to escort you outside." Adia tried to reason.

He visually winced. "I don't hurt people. Adia don't have to be big to talk to me."

"It's not you and you know it, it's those stupid rules." she reached out to rub his arm, "You're a sweetheart, sweets, we all know it but there are still rules..."

Jean picked up the phone quickly to continue the page quietly but Cristof was to busy pouting to care what she was doing.

"Adia will take me outside." He said, looking at her. He was actually frowning. "I don't want the others. I don't want them to walk with me."

Even Jean looked concerned. He wasn't dangerous so much as; he would shut himself off for days. Adia looked to Jean hesitantly, "You think he's with a patient?"

"Well..." Jean looked at the phone. "He didn't respond as quick as he normal does. He certainly could be. It is about that time he starts his afternoon rounds."

"See, he's not coming. Adia will take me. Please?" He reached out, very gently touching his fingers to Adia's arm.

"Yeah. I'll sign him out. He's not going anywhere, are you sweets?" Adia mused, approaching the desk to fill out the book used to account for patient outings.

Cristof smile brightly again. "Not today."

Adia shook her head, smiling lightly; "Can you hand me my jacket Jean? It's on the chair."

"Best keep it a short walk." Jean advised as she handed Adia her jacket. "You never know how they'll react." She continued in a quiet voice. "Some days the doctors are worse then some of the patients."

Cristof bounced a little on his feet, obviously excited. "Walk, walk, walk, walk."

"I know, thanks though." Adia nodded, pulling it over her arms before taking Cristof's elbow and leading him to the door. She had to swipe her key at two doors before they were able to simply walk out the front. They considered the facility fairly secure but then no one had ever tried to escape so no one knew so much.

"Oh, it is cold!" He said once they'd gotten outside. He looked delighted despite his apparent dislike for the on coming threat of snow. "Good! Very, thank you Adia. It's pretty out today."

"Good to see you so peppy." She rubbed his arm, "Just around the garden though, it's colder than I thought."

"Once, twice, three times." he sand softly to himself as he nodded to her request. "One, two, three. Adia likes the cold. One, two. Not the freeze, but the cold."

"Adia likes not being sick." she chuckled, "One time around."

"One, two, three." he laughed. "The cold makes Adia smile. Reminds her of things, right? Bright eyes in the cold." he touched her cheek again before letting his hand drop. "One. Two."

"Reminds me..." she repeated softly, "sometimes."

"Happy memories are good." he smiled happily. "One. I have them too. Memories and thoughts and smiles and a time probably forgotten by everyone other then myself. I don't forget."

"Gonna remember this then?" Adia asked teasingly.

Cristof laughed, spinning once. "Of course." he tilted his head back to look up at the sky. "Won't Adia?"

"More than likely. You're hard to forget sweets." She tucked her hands behind her head.

He laughed softly again. "Lock this away in the special place where Adia keeps all Adia's special memories." he said, dragging his feet as they walked. He leaned down suddenly to press his palm to the ground to see if it was too cold to sit. He leaned up again, wiping his hands on his pants with a sigh. It was so much nicer outside then in.

"I will do that just for you." she promised, "C'mon you."

"Adia walk too fast." he whined.

"You walk too slow." she whined back.

He pouted. "Adia gets to go home. I go back there." he pointed to the white-bricked building. "I get to walk slow."

"Hey I don't wanna get sent home permanently okay?" she laughed, "But fine. We can walk slower."

Cristof smiled at her fondly before looking around his surroundings once more. "Thank you. Just a little longer. A little longer."

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Thanks for reading! Please review!


	2. Being stubborn

Double update for the start. Woo, right?

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Adia walked into the hospital around four for the early evening shift. She welcomed the heat of the building as she slid her coat off her arms. She was just about to pour herself some coffee when one of the other nurses hijacked her.

"Good. You're here, he's being impossible again." Abby said, taking Adia's arm to drag her off down the hall.

"Why sweets, coffee?" Adia commented disorientedly.

"Look, he was supposed to go in at three, but he won't come out of his room. I don't know what to do anymore. Erickson is about to come down here himself." The woman shook her head.

"Which 'he' Abbs, slow down." Adia sighed, picking up her pace so she wasn't being dragged so much.

"Oh yeah, forgot you're queen bee around here. How the hell do you get them to listen to you?" Abby sighed, "Anyway it's Grandie. He won't leave his room. Nothing works on him."

"Oh, okay." Adia mused, continuing to walk even as the woman let her go, "No promises, he does what he wants. See what I can do though."

She stopped at his door and gave a gentle knock even though it was cracked open already.

She was met with silence but that wasn't unusual. Cristof had made it clear on more then one occasions that he didn't exactly treat it as his own, real personal room because he didn't have control over who came and went or even the contents his room held. Furniture was often moved to accommodate all the rooms and he very loudly stated how he didn't like it.

He had pushed his bed against the wall and sat there, looking out the window. He concentrated on the little pictures he drew from the heat of his breath and ignored the nurses coming and going and their begging to get him to go one place or another.

"Are you not here today?" Adia asked

Cristof hummed slightly, glancing towards the door when he heard her voice. "Hello Adia."

"Hey there sweets." she smiled at him, taking her time approaching him, "So what's going on? Feel like messing with the other nurses today?"

"Usually. Too easy." He said in a partly complaining, partly serious tone. "But not exactly either."

"What is it then?" she moved to sit next to him.

"I'm taking a mental health day." he chuckled, but the sound wasn't his usual good humor. "I don't want to see the doctor today. Any of them."

"You only see him weekly sweets, it'd throw off his schedule if he couldn't see you today." Adia said softly.

He shrugged. "How? I'm giving him a break if he skips me. I don't see why that's so bad for him. He can lounge around or spend more time with someone else. I don't want to see him."

"He needs to see you apparently. Don't ask me why, I don't know, but it is what it is." Adia shrugged, "It won't be so bad."

Cristof looked her in the eye and leaned forward into her personal space. "No-oo." he said slowly.

"What if I said please really nice?" she reached up to poke his noes instead of flinching away as most would do.

He shrugged. "If you were my doc, sure. You're not. So no." he turned to gaze back out of the window. "I'm done."

"What if he says please real nice." she chuckled.

"I don't like him, Adia." He said stubbornly. "I refuse, refuse, refuse. No, no, no, no more I'm done. Ding."

"Why don't you like him? He wants to help you get better so you can go home. Don't you want that? I know you do sweets," she said softly.

"I don't need him for that. I won't be a tool anymore," he said softly, reaching out to grab his pillow and draw it closer to him. "No more."

"You're not a tool, sweets." she touched his arm gently, "I don't know where you got that idea. You're a patient we all wanna help get better. Specially cuz you're such a sweetie."

"Adia is so silly." he smiled a little, refusing to tear his eyes away from the window. "I like Adia, but not enough to see him today. I'm sorry. Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad at you, sweets." she promised, rubbing his arm.

Cristof hummed softly for a moment. It filled the silence that would have been there otherwise. "Maybe I believe that, yes."

"Maybe? Maybe?" she poked his side, "Maybe nothing. Maybe makes me pout."

"Maybe is better then what I usually get." he said, pressing is forehead against the window. He couldn't hide how unhappy he was anymore.

"Hey." she leaned forward and turned her head so she could see him. She'd never get so close to another patient for fear of personal injury. You never quite knew what they'd do, try to bite your face for all you knew. But he seemed content with closeness, "I always give you a straight answer when I know what the answer is, sweets."

"But Adia doesn't know the answer for this, no." He said, smiling for her benefit. "I know the answer. Always the same here."

"Sure I know the answer. You gotta go see the doc." she rubbed his back, "And I'll be right there when you're done."

"Nope." he said stubbornly. "Adia can take the appointment for me. I don't wanna have anything with them. Too much white. Too much everything. I'm done, cooked and baked."

"You're not baked, sweets." she laughed genuinely, the thought striking her funny, "And I would if I could but they don't care about my head they care about yours."

He smiled. "Silly Adia. That's what I said. I'm merely a tool to a means. An effect from a cause. No more. They will either come here or leave me be, and they can't leave me be ever."

"Sweets, you're going to get yourself in trouble and I won't be able to help you no matter how much I wanna you know that." she said softly.

Cristof turned and leaned towards her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "What are they gonna do? Keep me in a white room? Tell me when I can go somewhere? When I can eat? Lock me in?" he whispered softly. He broke out into a sweet smile. "No more. Nope."

"They wouldn't lock you in isolation if you weren't being violent but yes, they could take something away. Not that you ever do anything anyway. Need to find you a hobby so you'll listen once in a while." she chuckled, turning her head until she could kiss his forehead. It was the most unusual relationship she'd had with a patient but he really was a sweetheart beyond all his stubbornness and she found it delightful. She was just as friendly to other patients, never cold. She was sure that was why they listened to her more if they even did, but she could almost consider him a friend.

"That's a little mean." He chuckled. "Adia wants me to have a hobby so I will obey these cretins? No. My hobby is daydreaming and no one will ever take that away. Ezra said so. Ezra promised even. I don't want to see these doctor's anymore. I don't like them near me. They're not nice."

"Have they hurt you?" She asked a bit more softly.

"Define hurt?" He blinked.

"If I have to then they haven't, sweets." she smiled gently, feeling better with the reassurance.

"Silly Adia. There are lots of ways to hurt someone." He sighed, pressing his forehead back to the window. "Can I go outside?"

"There _are_ lots of ways to hurt someone. But there are ways we don't forgive and ways we accept because we have to, sweets. You can go outside after you see the doctor. We'll take a walk but you need a bigger coat this time." she said.

"So silly Adia." he said softly. "And I wanted to walk outside."

"We'll see how the rest of today goes before you can go out." Dr. Erickson said, shutting the door behind them. He was an older doctor who had a near spotless reputation around the hospital. "You're misbehaving again."

Cristof made a sound and continued peering out the window, not even attempting to turn and greet the doctor.

Adia rubbed Cristof's arm gently, turning to look at the old man, "Evening Dr. Erickson. He's having a little down day I think."

"So I've heard." Dr. Erickson said, nodding to her in greeting. "A stubborn day."

"Needs some coffee like the rest of us." she said jokingly to lighten the mood as she stood to leave.

The doctor chuckled, fully aware of the fact that Cristof was ignoring him. "That's probably true." he agreed, slipping off his white doctor's coat. Cristof never hid his dislike for the color. "And even still, it looks like we're going to have to have his appointment here today since he won't be moved."

"Looks that way. Everyone has their days." she reminded him coyly, meaning the patients by the word 'everyone'.

"Seems Mr. Grandie has been having a few lately." Dr. Erickson said, moving to lean his hip against the foot of the bed.

"Mr. Grandie is my father." Cristof muttered, sliding his eyes shut.

"I think we have a little more to talk about then that." The doctor sighed. "You need to listen to me, Cris. This is for your own good. I know you like your walks but if you're going to keep giving the nurses a hard time then they will be limited."

Cristof stayed silent, not acknowledging him further.

Adia herself bit her lip then. That would be hard for him, she knew, and she felt terrible especially not being able to help him. She touched his arm one last time before starting out the door.

"Thank you very much for taking the time, Nurse Black." Dr. Erickson said as she was leaving.

"Bye Adia." Cristof muttered, sounding just this side of heart broken.

"I'll be here when you're done sweets," she said, repeating her promise to him before pulling the door shut behind her.

His appointment lasted longer to make up for the time he'd squandered away and he was miserable through most of it. It was the same as all of his other more recent appointments and the only thing that could be heard outside of the room was his raised voice when he refused to comply with the doctor's suggestions or treatment idea's.

Dr. Erickson sighed when his time was over. "We'll continued next week, Cris." He said, opening the door to step out. "You try to get some rest for now."

He was answered with silence and the tension that had been in the room seemed to seep out into the hall.

The silence lingered for a few more minutes until Adia walked in carrying a tray like she often did.

"So I figured you wouldn't want to join everyone else for dinner and besides, it might make them jealous if you ate in front of them." She sat the tray that contained the usual food as well as a wrapped Wendy's burger to the side.

"Gonna need you to eat at least a lil of the cafeteria crap so no one thinks you're starving yourself." she offered him a small smiled, "Okay?"

He was curled up tightly in a ball, his head resting on his knees as he as turned slowly to look up at her. "Okay." he mumbled, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Come eat." she held a hand to him.

"I hate white." he muttered softly. "I hate it."

"I know sweets, we can talk while you eat, hm?" she offered.

"I'm tired of talking." he muttered, voice almost breaking as he sat up and reached for the tray. He was getting worse after each appointment.

She lifted it and handed it to him, "We don't have to talk then. Whatever you want sweets, I have some time."

He looked up at her, laying the tray in his lap. "I'm so tired of lies, Adia. Why do people want to lie to me so much."

"Who do you think is lying to you Cristof?" she asked softly

"Almost everyone." he said, inhaling slowly before starting to eat. "Most just assume I don't notice."

"I suppose I understand that." she said softly.

He smiled at her. "Some version of that Adia understand well. Nobody trusts."

"That's not true. People trust they just only trust certain people. I trust you not to tell people I bring you things. I shouldn't because I can lose my job over it but I do and the more I'm proven right the more I do. Now you gotta stop breaking rules so I can get you that field trip."

"He'll never let me wander far, Adia. Not knowingly." Cristof sighed. "Damned puppet master. I'm thinking of cutting my strings, you know? The more I think about it the more it sounds nice."

"Not when you won't work with him sweets," she offered, sliding up to sit on his desk.

"I don't want to work with him. No more." he said softly, taking a bite from the burger she brought him and smiling wide. "Mm!"

"I'm glad you like it, you can hand me the tray, you don't have to eat anymore of the other stuff." she smiled softly.

He licked his fingers in between bites and smiled. "Thank you Adia. Knowing Adia is good."

"Knowing you is good too" she chuckled."

"Huh..." He chuckled. "Odd Adia, but I like odd. I would have liked to walk outside with Adia again."

"Maybe tomorrow, hm?" she offered.

"Hm, hm, hm." he smiled faintly, finishing his burger slowly. "Thank you for the food and the company."

"You are sincerely welcome sweets, gimme the wrapper" she chuckled, "They're crazy enough to go through the trash sometimes."

He nodded, passing everything over. "All of it." he sang softly. "And now I am full."

"Well good, you're too thin," She teased, balling it up to shove it in her pocket. It'll be fine in the lounge trashcan; anywhere near the patients however and hell would be raised."

Cristof laughed. "Maybe. Anyone would be eating that stuff." he pointed to the tray.

"Well I'll bring you goodies when I can. I gotta get back to my job, visit you before lights out, okay?" she promised.

"Lights out. Yes. Then. Okay." Cristof nodded. "Fine. I'll wait."

"Should join the others, I think they're watching a movie." she said be as she gathered the tray.

"No thank you," he said softly, leaning back against the window frame

"Okay." she shrugged, stepping out of the room and pausing, " Don't sulk too long sweets, it'll give you wrinkles." And then she left down the obnoxiously sterile hallway.

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Thanks for reading. Please review.


	3. Going home

Woo, the update this week.  
Cherish it.  
Love it.  
Possibly even review it.

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It had been easier then he thought. His break out. Most thought that just because he was unstable, that he didn't pay attention. He'd put on his coats and gloves and had a backpack full of a few of his things—some that belonged to him and some that belonged to the hospital and made his escape.

He had been thinking about it for days, probably weeks. He didn't know for sure. Time slipped away from him in those white walls.

It was freezing out and as much as he liked the cold, he hated being trapped in it, and that's what he was. Trapped. Trapped in his home, in the hospital. He wanted to be warmed and to have a place he could actually consider his again. The last place he had thought was his shipped him off to the institution.

It was pitch black outside and he's been walking for too long. Not having any money made transportation hard. It was still dark outside when he made his way up onto a porch he was vaguely familiar with. He suddenly felt nervous and he was jittery normally anyway. He knocked a few times and when nothing happened the tried the doorbell.

Swaying slowly he took a few steps away from the door to sit on the front steps. It was cold and hard to roam around but the sense of freedom he got made him smile.

"The fuck kind of moronic son of a bitch!" Ezra's voice came from the other side of the door along with the sound of bolts being undone, finally it slid open followed by more cursing that would stop abruptly, "The hell is your problem, do you know what time it is you ignorant mother…holy shit."

His eyes went wide at the sight of his brother's face and the silence lingered for a few beats. They looked similarly, only Ezra was healthier looking then his scrawny brother.

"Ezra always have had such a way with words." Cristof laughed softly, leaning his head on the rail from where he sat.

Ezra leaned out the door, looking around for any possible escort he could have.

"No. The answer to your question." Cristof chuckled.

"What?" Ezra looked at him, dumb founded, "What're you doing here? Jesus it's freezing, get in there."

"I'm kinda numb now. It's was cold the entire walk. I didn't sit down though. I remembered I scared you last time I sat in snow." Cristof commented, slowly getting back to his feet.

Ezra grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet. He led him inside and pulled the door shut, locking it behind him, "You walked here? From the hospital?"

"Yes." Cristof nodded, dropping his bag unintentionally after he'd lost his grip on it. "I didn't have anywhere else to go, you know?"

"You should have called me or something, I'd have been there, lord Cris. Sit, here let me go turn the heater up and…maybe a hot shower'll do you better." Ezra ran his hand through his hair, "Yes, warm you up fast. Shower. Get you something to drink, something warm."

Cristof smiled softly walking forward to wrap his arm around his brother's neck. "Thank you."

Ezra hugged him tightly, "Crazy son of a bitch. Glad you're safe..."

"I'm not anymore. Not there." He sighed softly, pressed his face into his brother's neck for a moment. "Oops! I must be getting you cold." he laughed brightly, pulling away.

"And I'm warming you up so it's whatever, but c'mon. Shower's over here." Ezra led him toward the bathroom, "And I don't know what you brought but I have some warm cloths you'll fit fine."

"Thank you, Ezra. Ezra knows I won't be a bother. Nope. Nu uh. But I would very much like to be warm, and even more so I would like not to go back to that place." Cristof said, walking into the bathroom and spinning around slowly to take it in. He'd only been here a handful of times. "Woah, dizzy." he chuckled.

"That's cuz you're spinning like a dummy." Ezra smiled lightly, "Figure out the rest later, go take a shower, and don't scald yourself. I'll put some cloths in here for you, and a towel."

He reached under the sink for a moment and grabbed a wash cloth, "Here."

"Thank you Ezra." Cristof repeated, clutching the cloth to his chest and shutting the door slowly and sighing heavily once he realized he really made it to a safe place. He took a shower, enjoying immensely that fact that his brothers bathroom wasn't white, or at least not completely. He enjoyed escaping white almost as much as he did the steam from the shower. The heat warmed his bones and he nearly had to drag himself out of the shower. If he took to long he know Ezra would worry.

He found the clothes set out for him and dried off before he getting dressed and wandering out to find his brother. At least, that was his intention. Everything in the house caught his attention and made his mind wander off.

When he finally made it to the kitchen it smelled like coffee. Not stale, burnt coffee like the nurses' lounge but expensive coffee. His brother sat at the table with a cup between his hands. He looked up at Cristof and instantly became more alert.

"I heated up some water incase you wanted some tea and there's more coffee case you don't. I figured you need something warm."

"Should I apologize?" Cristof asked, only half in the doorway. He was peeking into the kitchen and looked almost intimidated.

"Cris, come sit with me. No, you don't need to apologize but I do want to understand some stuff." he said softly.

"Kay." Cristof smiled. "Am I allowed to get the tea myself?"

"I hope so, I don't exactly consider myself a kids person," Ezra smiled lightly, "Specially when they're completely grown."

Cristof stuck his tongue out at his younger brother and pouted. "I can do it but they treat me like I'm handicapped and won't let me. Wouldn't let me. Didn't. Ah well. I'm doing it now."

"Damn well you are, I know you're not handicapped, you better not act like it." Ezra pointed a joking finger at him, "So tell me them, what's happened? Did they do something?"

"I don't want to be a tool anymore." he answered vaguely, pulling a cup from the cabinet.

"Going to have to give me more than that, brother." Ezra watched him.

"I couldn't stay anymore. I won't be used." He turned quickly and pouted. "They put a limit on when I could go outside. Not fair."

"Used how." Ezra pressed, sipping his coffee. He was sure he already knew but he was hoping it had been a bad dream.

"The doctor's keep talking. They get mad when I don't wanna answer." Cristof stopped, calmly making his tea. He swayed slowly back and forth and hummed for a moment before walking to sit at the table. "No more appointments. No more threats. No more treats for good behavior. I'm not a DOG!" he pouted. "No more. They scare me."

"Cristof, I know you're not a dog, trust me it's nothing special there. It's part of life. Everyone has to act a certain way to please certain people. Is there anything you're not mentioning?"

"Yes." he paused, sipping his tea. "Do I gotta talk about it."

"I'm about to get in trouble with the law for hiding you Cristof, all I'm asking is you tell me why." Ezra leaned his chin in his palm.

"I can't be there anymore Ezra." he muttered softly, slowly bowing his head until he could sip from his cup without lifting it off the table. "They get mad when you don't play the game. But I don't have to stay here."

"So you ran away because they wouldn't let you go outside then." Ezra crossed his arms.

"That's just silly Ezra. They're soul suckers." Cristof sighed. "You know what they do to empty shells?"

"I know you didn't belong there but that's still not a reason to run away. Not a reason to put me in this position. You know I'd protect you, fight for you, and that could get me in a lot of trouble. You could have fooled them—I know you could have—into letting you out. Acted normal for a while. Tell me that's not the only reason you ran and put yourself and me in danger." Ezra muttered, sipping his coffee with a sigh.

Cristof swallowed slowly. "I don't do normal as well as I used to. They were using me Ezra. Using me. Even when I refused an appointment...they'd go out of their way to find me. Keeping me some dark secret before anyone else could find out I know things," he said, voice getting rougher, louder. "I can't do it anymore. To wait to be poked and prodded, and sold or sent to a pretty little institution that would be for my own 'benefit'. They don't care about my benefits they care about what I can tell them. No more! No more lab rat, no more."

"So they do know." Ezra rubbed his face. "I was hoping that was a nightmare."

Cristof pressed his face into his arm and leaned down against the table. "They've known for a long time."

"Why didn't you tell me, Cris." Ezra reached to touch his brother's arm, "I would have gotten you transferred at the least."

"That's what they wanted. Transferred because I need the 'attention'. Someplace smaller, more intimate." Cristof shuddered. "No more..."

"Well you're here now. I don't know if you can stay 'here' here but I will find you a place if I have to pay for a hotel." Ezra mused.

"I didn't come to stay. I came to let Ezra know I'm not there anymore." Cristof chuckled but the tone didn't match his expression. "I know better then to burden Ezra with this."

"Shut up Cris. You're not going anywhere." Ezra muttered, "You better be here when I get home from work."

Cristof tilted his head to watch his brother. "There are times when Ezra is stranger then I am. I'm sorry."

"I'm not strange. You're my brother. I'm going to know where you are and that you're safe." Ezra finished his coffee, "To the best of my ability. And I won't ignore anymore dreams..."

"I'll never know why, but I'm thankful for Ezra." Cristof muttered, his head still lying on his arm. "More then you know. Even normal Ezra."

"You need to sleep I think." Ezra smiled, "Mind the couch or do you wanna share my bed?"

Cristof stared for a moment, blinking slowly in contemplation. A smile twitched at his lips but he couldn't bring himself to laugh. Ezra was the only person who would ask him what he wants and honestly mean it. "Whatever is easier for Ezra."

"What's more comfortable for Cris." Ezra challenged with a smile, standing to put his cup in the sink. "Bed's made, couch takes two seconds. Haven't shared a bed since we were lived at home but I don't care so, its whatever."

"Couch, I'll make Ezra sick." Cristof sighed, looking inside his cup curiously after a pause.

"If you say so Cris. If you want more tea you're welcome to it." Ezra mused, walking off to fix the couch up.

"No." Cristof said, getting up quickly to wander after him, still holding his nearly empty cup. "They said I should get used to it again." He held up that cup as if that would make his words clearer.

"Who?" Ezra asked, stopping in the hall to pull a few blankets and pillows out of the closet.

He waved the cup again. "Hospital food sucks lots."

"I know. I ate there once." Ezra grimaced.

"Real food makes me sick. I found that out earlier. No fun. Ugh, not at all." He muttered, draining the remaining tea from his cup.

"Ah, I gotta watch what I get you then. Hm." Ezra muttered, setting down the pillow before spreading out the blankets. "I have water if you want some."

"The pills were more then just medication." His whispered as if someone would over hear the secret. "I know how to get water. More or less."

"Tap water tastes like shit, there's a pitcher in the fridge, drink from that." Ezra mused. "What were the pills?"

"Withdrawal! Withdrawal!" He paused. "You have water in a pitcher? That's just weird Ezra."

"It filters it." Ezra laughed, "and if you go through withdrawals…I'm killing someone."

"Ooohh." he muttered softly. "Okay. Ezra does not need to worry about me. Ezra's does enough worrying. I am in no way dependent on the pills. Those pills. Not those, maybe the others though. No matter."

"English Cris." Ezra smiled.

Cristof's eyes widened. "I stopped speaking English. I am so impressed with myself!"

"I'm impressed too, now translate. What about the pills?"

"Lots of pills, and did you know, did you know." He moved closer to his brother. "They stare you in the face till you take them. So I gots lots of pills by two or maybe three doctors, I don't remember, and they stare till you take them. And when you don't, you gets a shot and you know I'm afraid of needles."

Ezra's eyes went soft, "Yes, I know. Why would you be addicted to some and not others?"

"Placebo!" Cristof announced. "Some were real meds to 'help me'." he air quoted. "And others were nothing, and others were like aspirin and others were a childish attempt to make me more agreeable. They mix badly, you know. You'd think they'd know that." He paused again. "I guess they wouldn't care if they did."

"Hmm." was Ezra's response, accompanied with a frown as he pulled back the blankets, making the couch look utterly inviting to someone in Cristof's position. "Well fuck them."

"I'd rather not. They all had needles and it's hard to keep a straight face with a needle coming at you. I just got one." he pointed to his arm. "I wasn't supposed to though. I _took_ the pills. He was just mad at me." He finally set the cup down and moved towards the couch. "Thank you Ezra."

Ezra grabbed his arm lightly so he could wrap his arms around Cristof. "I'm glad you came here."

"I only have Ezra," he said softly, hugging him tightly. "I don't want Ezra in trouble over this."

"I said could get in trouble, not would." Ezra assured him. "Just...stay away from the windows, don't go outside, keep the noise level down and don't answer the door till I get home. I'll figure it out after work today."

"I'm sorry Ezra." he muttered, his forehead resting against his brother's shoulder. "I couldn't do it anymore."

"And I'm glad you came here instead of trying to figure it out on your own." Ezra muttered, "No more apologizing."

"Ezra knows I can't help it." he muttered, finally releasing his brother to sit back on the couch.

"Yeah well, do it anyway" Ezra offered him a grin, "Sleep well, I'm gonna go lay down myself for a few more hours."

Cristof nodded slowly, pulling his legs up onto the couch. "Okay. Please sleep good."

"Be here, when I wake up. And if you hear someone knocking, you're going in the crawl space." Ezra chuckled, walking off.

Cristof pressed his face into one of the pillows before laughing at the visual it gave him. Shaking his head with a small grin he laid his head down to sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!** And is case you're interested, I'm fully aware that my grammar sucks due to late night editing, but there are times when Cris….just talks funny. It's how he is so I'm aware it's incorrect.

**SeansonsReasons**-I'm glad he makes you smile. Thanks for reviewing ^_^

**Chibi Cherry Blossoms**- I will! I'll be updating regularly. Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

**Sadistprincess- **Hello! I was a little stunned to see you making your way around my one-shots. Thank you! Onto your reviews! I'm so happy you like Cristof. To me he is an incredibly loveable character and you can't help but want him to be happy. It'll take a while but after a few chapter you'll get the hang of the characters and how much Cris..really gives away when he's babbling…lol. He is a strange boy though and views suffocation differently from most. The neutral colors for example, he hates them and would have been happier without them.  
As for character descriptions, sorry. Lol. There are descriptions that come through out the story in some places, but when I write with Lovely, we tend to want our readers to use their imaginations; letting them give the character a look they thing suits them up to a point. As you go deeper into the story and learn more about them, those appearances become more defined. Hope that makes sense. I'd love fan art!…I get the lack of descriptions makes that hard though. XD But I'm still incredibly flattered that you would even offer. Thanks for reading.

Please review.


	4. His importants

This weeks update ^_^ nothing special to report.

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Cristof had been more at peace then he had been in months. Sure, he missed Ezra while he was at work but at least his home was interesting. He entertained himself easily and had the practice of being bored while at the hospital.

He did as Ezra told him too and stayed away from the doors and window's, even with all of them being covered anyway. It had become a habit for him to listen to his little brother since he was protective over him to start with. All of his hopes for a peaceful day were ruined though when the pounding on the door signified visitors and he snapped down to the floor instantly as if that would hide him. He was too afraid to peek out the window, but then he already _knew_ it was about him.

Of course the hospital would know he was gone already.

Satisfied that Ezra wasn't home they left, but he was sure that wasn't the last they'd hear from them. The rest of the day Cristof spent in Ezra's room, sitting on his bed patiently. He'd ended up curled up there for a few hours and didn't even bother to move when he heard the door open and shut.

"Cris?" Ezra called for him, his voice edged on worry.

"I'm here." Cristof said, voice raised.

Ezra was quiet until he made it to the bedroom where he sighed with relief. "Good."

"They came." he muttered, laying across Ezra's bed still.

"I figured, they came to my work." Ezra toed off his shoes before climbing on the bed to sit next to him. "I'm just glad you're still here, gonna assume they didn't see you since they came to find me."

"Wondrous." Cristof sighed, dark circles under his eyes. "I would have liked to see his face when he was told I was missing."

"It's gonna be fine, you don't look so hot though. How're you feeling?" Ezra asked his brother softly.

"Horrible. But I expected horrible. You can't stop some things cold turkey and expect to be fine afterwards." he muttered. "But I'm used to it. They were mean like that to make me used to it."

"What do you mean? They'd suddenly stop giving you meds at the hospital?" Ezra asked.

"Uh huh." he nodded, closing his eyes. "Not supposed to cause it's cruel and mean and messing with your insides but yeah. Lots of times."

Ezra closed his eyes, reaching out to rest his hand on his brother's shoulder, "We'll get you better, okay?"

"It'll get better. Can't get worse, not really. Ezra doesn't need to worry. They came to see Ezra?" he asked, looking back up at his brother

"I'll worry all I want Cris." Ezra grinned lightly, "And yes they did. And I told them _most_ of the truth. Told them you did come by, in the middle of the night but you were gone when I woke up. They asked why I didn't take you back right then and I told them they were fucking crazy and that it was the middle of the night. They bought it, least if any of my neighbors saw you it'll just seem like they didn't catch you leaving you know? They were mad I didn't call the cops but I told them I had nothing to go off and figured the hospital would report it, think they bought that. Seemed to."

"Yes, they would." Cristof said after a moment of thought. "Silly men reporting for silly doctors. Probably not real cops but cops hired for more distasteful things. Like dragging me back for experiments. They won't get paid near what the doctors would but money is money. I would leave though if it would keep Ezra safe. Not an unbelievable lie."

"Well you better not, I'd have to go looking for you and I'd loose my job cuz I would be looking for you instead of working and it would be bad. So stick around, okay?" Ezra mused, easily able to keep up with his brothers speech patterns.

"Hm. You make it so difficult." Cristof said with a short laugh.

"I know, that's what little brothers are for." Ezra chuckled, "Have you eaten any?"

"Food is bad." Cristof sighed. "I will cherish its memory fondly."

"I know you have a problem eating a lot but we can start small, like when you get the stomach flu you know? Start with like soup or something and build up to regular food. You gotta eat though." Ezra tried.

"Eating ends badly." Cristof muttered, looking childlike for the moment. "But I will if Ezra wants."

"We'll start small, find something you can eat. You cant live on nothing," Ezra said softly.

"If Ezra wants. I trust Ezra." Cristof said, taking his time pushing himself up. "They'll come back."

"Forget them." Ezra shook his head, "You stay, you don't look so good. I'll bring you something."

Cristof pouted "I'm not a baby."

"Damn right you're not but you're ill and I don't know how I'd get you medical attention if you over exerted yourself and collapsed on me without you getting turned back over to that hospital. So sit tight." Ezra gave him a look.

Cristof scrunched up his face and nodded. "Okay Ezra. Should I move back to the couch?"

"You can take the bed. More comfortable anyway." Ezra shook his head, standing finally,

"Being a difficult Ezra." Cristof said softly. "Are you sure?"

"Yep I'm sure. You rest and I will stop worrying so much, how's that?" Ezra smiled lightly.

Cristof laughed softly and swayed for a moment as he leaned back against the headboard. "Okay."

"And the TV works if you wanna watch it" Ezra pointed out before disappearing through the doorway and starting down the hall.

"TV is weird." Cristof muttered to himself, laying back in the bed. He didn't want to eat and would only try to make Ezra feel better. He was used to being deceived, if he could still call it then since he normally knew when someone was up to no good. He never had those feelings around his brother, even when they were younger. Ezra had always been his protector. He sang to himself quietly as he had become accustomed, the words barely a whisper.

Ezra returned a while later with a tray containing a few things but soup was one of them as promised. "Still prefer daydreaming, huh?" Ezra looked to his brother who generally hadn't moved.

"I like to daydream. It keeps you alive," he said vaguely.

"No TV? I figured they just didn't let you watch it." Ezra mused, setting the tray on the bed.

"They don't. Not in the room I stayed in." he shook his head, looking over the food and faking interest.

"I know it looks like crap and probably tastes like crap but maybe it'll stay down. If not, that's what the bowl's for." Ezra watched his brother, "Baby steps. Did you want a book then? What would you like to do?"

"Ezra doesn't have to perform for me. I can manage. Living in solitude helps you to do that." he chuckled. "But Ezra has so much here for me to look at. And colors. I've almost forgotten so many colors in my time away."

Ezra stared at him; "I'm not performing Cris. I want to make you comfortable. I live alone too and I'm usually bored to death."

"I'm sorry Ezra." Cristof muttered. "I don't seem to be very good company. I'm trying to hold it together for little brother but normal is harder then it used to be. I'm happy to see Ezra and that's enough. I'm comfortable enough."

"Don't hold it together. You want to babble, babble; I'll tell you when I need to understand something. You want to act the way you feel, do that, I'd much rather not have to guess at it anyway." Ezra sighed, sitting back on the bed, "I've never had a really hard time understanding you one way or another but I'd rather you be honest with me."

"I'm always honest with Ezra. I don't lie to Ezra. Only the expressions of it change. Lots of expressions. Lots of babbling, but I'm selfish with it. It's annoying when other people talk and talk and talk to me." Cristof sighed heavily, stirring the soup.

"What about me? Is it annoying when I keep talking to you?" Ezra asked.

Cristof shook his head. "No. Not Ezra. I like talking to Ezra. Others. Others who want my life story and don't care. Doctors. Nurses. But not Adia. And the specialist that's they bring to see me. People who want me to talk and when I don't they talk more. I don't like that."

Ezra smiled, "Adia's that nurse you mentioned? Well you won't have to see any more annoying nurses or specialists. In a few months everyone will give up and forget."

"Doesn't that just sound lovely." Cristof chuckled. "Indeed." he paused as if remembering something. "What color does Ezra like best? Have I asked you?"

"I donno, if you asked me or what color I like. I donno, black maybe," Ezra chuckled, "or maybe red, I donno."

"Black is not a color and red and so...red." Cristof made a near frustrated sound. "But okay."

"Are you complaining about my answer? Don't complain about my answer. They're _my_ favorite colors" Ezra chuckled.

"Black is a shade not a color and red is so so so red. Bleh. Why do the important like red?" he shook his head.

"The important? That what the kids are calling it today?" Ezra mused.

"My important." he shrugged. "I could care less about others important."

"Yay important." Ezra grinned.

"Adia likes red too. Why red?" he almost whined.

"Red is the color of my favorite blanket and club," Ezra shrugged, "and my car. So there's my logic."

Cristof stared at him for a long moment, blinking every few seconds. "Oooh. Okay. Fine then."

"Sure Adia has her reasons. Or maybe it just gives her warm and fuzzies. My favorite color is really whatever color I'm wearing that day" Ezra tugged his shirt.

"Now that makes much more sense. I like color." Cristof said, taking a bite of the soup and stopping. He paused. "I'm sorry Ezra. You didn't eat."

"I ate lunch. I'll eat later." Ezra shrugged.

"Promise?" Cristof asked, looking overwhelmingly concerned.

"Promise." Ezra gave him a solute.

"Good." Cristof said happily, before leaning back against the headboard looking tired

"So how much did you sleep?"

"I dunno." he said honestly, eyeing the soup. "I wake up a lot when I sleep."

"Okay, if you wanna stop eating you can. I'd rather you stop than throw it all up anyway." Ezra commented, watching his brother

"Ezra is nice to me." he sighed softly. "I'm afraid to eat, and sleep. Can't go outside, can't stay in here forever. I've dug myself into a mighty nice hole I think. That was never a bit in my plans. Wider thinking, that's what I need. Yeah."

"Few months and everyone will forget. But till then, yes you gotta lay low. I'll find you somewhere else where you can at least go outside but you'll still have to mainly stay indoors. As for eating and sleeping, that'll improve quick I think. I'll take care of you Cris, you know that." Ezra said, "Just gonna take some time to work."

"If Ezra says so then it's true." Cristof nodded. "I hope they do forget about me. I'd like them to forget, however impossible. I don't want to get better just to be shipped back again."

"You won't." Ezra laid back against the pillows.

"Did you dream I wouldn't?" Cristof frowned a little.

"I haven't dreamed anything so I take that as a good sign. I imagine you going back would be something I'd be warned about." Ezra shrugged. "Wait, that's a lie, I did dream about something. People talking, I can never remember what about though so I don't think it's important yet."

"Always important." Cristof said in what would have been a scolding tone had he not been smiling. "The images get clear and soon the voices will too. Perhaps the future is undecided. You know, I wish the future would discuss with me what happens before it decides on it's own without my input."

"It discusses with no one, it doesn't like us that much." Ezra chuckled.

Cristof pouted. "How mean. I can embrace a destiny as good as anyone but would some consideration to my feelings hurt?"

"No, No it wouldn't." Ezra smiled.

"Thank you. They should give that job to Ezra. Future and destiny giver. Ezra would talk with me about it then, right?" Cristof smiled, rubbing his hand across his face tiredly. "I wish someone would. I know most don't think I'm capable but I like to make decisions."

"Most don't think you're capable? You've been hanging out with the wrong people," Ezra turned his head to look at his brother, "Why don't you sleep?"

"I don't like sleeping." Cristof muttered, staring at the sheets. "And did Ezra know that doctor's train themselves to talk special around the patients family members? At least mine do."

"What does that have to do with sleeping?"

Cristof sighed, still keeping his eyes in the same spot. "It's all the same."

"No it's not." Ezra argued.

"Yes it is. They are all things I _don't_ like." Cristof said, stressing the words.

"But how does one effect the other?"

"They bother me." Cristof said, moving the tray with his fingers shaking. "I don't like them."

"That's not a cause and effect scenario." Ezra sat up and grabbed the tray, moving it to the floor before looking to his brother, "Why don't you like sleeping?"

"Sleeping isn't safe." Cristof whispered softly, holding his fingers to his lips as if it were a secret. "You sleep when you have to and that's all. I wake up every other hour. I can't help it any more."

"You're safe here Cristof." Ezra said softly.

"Safe from Ezra because Ezra is good. Others are not good and they will be back." Cristof said softly.

"I will keep them from you Cris." Ezra promised, "Don't you trust that?"

Cristof almost looked panicked for a moment before he sighed shakily and curled up, facing his brother. "I trust Ezra, and Ezra will try but I won't let them learn about you what they know about me."

"Difference between me and you, I'd rather be in jail for killin a man." Ezra mused, reaching out to touch Cristof's head, "And I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe too."

"I don't want Ezra in jail. I don't want Ezra in danger. I always bring Ezra my troubles. Ever since we were little." Cristof said softly. "I can't help it."

"Because all we got is each other." Ezra mused.

"That's not an excuse!" Cristof said louder. "I bring nothing good to Ezra." he continued, looking dejected.

"Sure you do. You remind me of the only good bit of my childhood." Ezra raised an eyebrow, "Try to imagine how hellish it woulda been for me if I didn't have you to make it fun and take their attention off of me? If they didn't need me to translate when you didn't feel like talking to them I'da been in some boarding school."

"So they shipped me away instead." Cristof muttered. He tilted his head back and made a face. "That didn't come out right."

"They shipped you off eventually. I'd have been gone by the time I could speak." Ezra shook his head, "Our parents are pricks. You bring the happy, that's plenty. I don't think you know how much the world's missing that."

"I don't understand a lot of things," Cristof muttered, scooting closer to his brother and closing his eyes. "You promise they won't come today?"

"They already came today. They're not coming back." Ezra nodded to himself.

"Okay." Cristof muttered, rubbing his eyes with the back of his wrists. "My head hurts again."

"Only thing I could give you would be Tylenol or aspirin but I don't know what you were on or how it would react so I don't think I can." Ezra smoothed his hand over his brother's hair.

"It's okay Ezra." Cristof muttered, keeping his eyes shut. "I know that. I know that."

"Gonna get you through this someway though," Ezra sighed, "Try to sleep."

Cristof nodded slowly, stifling a yawn. "Kay Ezra. Kay. I'll make this up to Ezra later."

"If you think it's necessary," Ezra watched his brother for a few minutes longer, making sure he was asleep before getting up to take the tray to the kitchen and clean it off.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Again, I'll be the first to point out that my spelling and grammar tend to suck, but in this particular case, a lot of it is just because Cris talks funny, and at times, it's rubs off on Ezra.

**Sadistprincess-** Cristof is brilliant! It's just sorta wrapped up in a little but of an unstable blanket, you know? Most just don't think he's capable of doing something like escaping but really, he just loves to be outside of the box. Ezra relates to him best. I kinda see them looking rather similar in appearance and bone structure but Ezra would be more…bigger in the shoulders…healthier looking, where Cris is just a scrawny little thing. Lol, but I love that everyone can sort of picture their own characters. I think it makes them closer to the characters themselves.

**Chibi Cherry Blossoms**- thank you very much! It is one of my favorite scenes. I like Cris and Ezra together. They have that brotherly bonding thing down. I'm glad to hear that you can get a good understanding of them. You'll find that Cristof talks to much and sometimes gives away pieces of the plot. ^_^


	5. Meeting her

New Chapter, yay.

* * *

Ezra came home a bit earlier the next day, surprising Cristof who was used to a fairly routine life. They had both calmed a bit now that neither received a visit from police or anyone from the hospital. Cristof seemed a bit worse physically but he was at least in better spirits.

"So what about video games? You used to like video games," Ezra asked as Cristof took a tiny bite of one of the crackers that accompanied his soup.

"I used to hit the buttons and hope it did something while you played more seriously." Cristof laughed. "But I wouldn't mind playing one again. I guess their better then the ones we used to have."

"I have no idea, I'm just trying to figure out what you wanna do besides daydream." Ezra smiled.

"I am not hard to please Ezra. At least I don't think so. I had this nurse for a while; she only came on weekends. She thought I was the sweetest things but she didn't know how to talk or something cause she'd start out all cheery and happy and but the time she was leaving she'd just be backing out of the room like I was crazy or somethin." Cristof babbled. "I don't think she understood my words very well."

"Maybe _she_ was a little crazy." Ezra mused with a small smile.

"Then why was I the one in a room and she got to roam about." he pouted, thinking it a serious suggestion.

"Because some types of crazy are less recognized than others." Ezra offered.

"Hm." Cristof said with a nod. "I guess so. Not fair when you think about it but yeah. Am I really so obvious? I guess so really. I remember being little and most adults' thought I was just a kid that talked too much and then they hung around a little and they were nervous around me. I don't like that. I've never hurt anyone."

"People like things that are familiar. Everyone has that bias. People like people that look like them, act like them, smell like them, make the same amount of money, have the same accent, whatever. Familiar stuff attracts them. You're not familiar to many people. Nothing wrong with it. Just means you gotta look harder to find the people who are familiar with it. Like how my friend James made mom nervous, you remember that? He was hood or scary. Hell, he had more manners than I do, but he's black and that freaked her out." Ezra mused, glancing at the window, "Funny as hell."

"They didn't like anyone we did." Cristof muttered, going off on a sidetrack. "And I made it hard enough for either of us to have friends. Kids liked us but we made their parents uneasy. I heard a car door." he changed topics completely.

"Yeah I know." Ezra muttered, leaning over to pull a bat from under his bed. "Waiting to see if they knock on the door."

"It's not for me." Cristof shook his head. "At least I don't think so." he frowned for a moment.

"Well, good then." Ezra raised an eyebrow, sighing when the doorbell rang. He set the bat down and stood up, walking out of the room to see who it was. He pulled the door open to a not too happy looking woman who stood about four inches shorter than him with high heels.

"Hey...Beth." He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as complete relief mixed with a new sort of anxiety, "I was just gonna call you."

"How very convenient for you." she said, arms crossed under her chest. "Since my calls don't seem to get through. You'll bailed on our last date and now you're looking way too guilty."

"Yeah I know, I've just been insanely busy." He tried, his brain moving a mile a minute to come up with an excuse that didn't involve his brother.

She raised an eye, giving him a look that said she didn't believe him. "That the best you got? I know we might not be..." she waved her hand as she thought for the word. "Official. But if you got another girl wandering around we can end this right now."

Ezra stared at her for a beat before smiling lightly, "Beth, c'mon, I'm not like that. There's no other girl."

"You expect I'm just gonna believe that?" She said, still standing outside.

"Well, at this point in time, I can't exactly prove it to you. But would I have been dressed like this and answered the door that quick if I had a girl here?" Ezra tugged his undershirt, drawing attention to it and his sweats.

"The speed getting to the door I might accept but the clothes? Hell no." Beth said. "That and you seem keen on keeping me out in the cold rather then inviting me in."

"When you were here I was fully clothed until I was fully naked." He grinned at her "Maybe in the morning I was wearing something like this, but its not morning."

She sighed, a small pout forming. "Then what the hells going on? I've seen you more or less busy before. This is weird."

"Would you accept it I said yes there's something going on, that it has nothing to do with women and nothing to do with drugs? Or gambling...or any other bad habits?" He shook his head.

Beth frowned. "What does that leave? If it's not bad or illegal then what's with the secretes?"

"It just is." Ezra shrugged, leaving out the bit that it was in fact illegal.

"Seriously Ezra, I don't think this is gonna work. If you're not even gonna tell me what there is to argue about when you already admit there is something then I dunno how to continue this." Beth sighed softly.

"I'm not saying its something to argue over, Just..." he sighed, moving back so she could step past him, "making my life difficult, come inside."

"Don't get frustrated with me." she muttered, walking. "I just wanna know what's going on. You can't blame me for thinking your sudden changes are...strange."

"No but you could have said, 'okay, I see you don't want to talk about it and clearly its not something to worry about'." Ezra closed the door behind her, "But that's not your fault, not in human nature not to be curious. Hell, maybe you can help. So, I told you I had a brother right?"

She nodded slowly, interest taking hold of her attention. "Yeah?"

"Didn't mention he was in a mental institution, did I? Kind of falsely really. He's not dangerous to himself or anyone else he's just stubborn as hell sometimes and my parents can't handle it." Ezra leaned on the couch arm "So he showed up at my house the other day."

Beth gave him a look that was nothing short of shocked. "He just...showed up? You can do that? I mean, it's great you get to seem him. You kinda sounded like you missed him but this is weird."

"Yeah. He walked here. It's a twenty-minute drive... and he walked here. Broke out and walked here in the middle of the night. They've been abusing him. He said it and I can tell. So am I doing something illegal? Yeah but I don't feel bad about it. He's my brother." Ezra shrugged.

She walked up to him, wrapping her arms tight around his shoulders. "Of course you gotta Ezra. If they were hurting him and he came to you then what else could you do but take him in?"

"Plus he's really not that dependant." Ezra hugged her lightly.

"So...not that big a deal?" she raised an eye. "Right? I mean I guess they'd look for him if he just disappeared."

"Cops have been to my work. I expect it'll take a few months for this to blow over. Mental patients are like little kids to the cops accept 'dangerous'. And they might make him out to be dangerous to get him back, I don't know. I just need to find somewhere for him to stay where he won't be so...confined to one spot."

"Won't that be hard?" She asked. "I mean, it'll be on the news or something, won't it? He can't really just hang out some place. He'll be kinda confined even if it's just staying here with you."

"That's what I mean. If he's here and they decide to check with my neighbors, I'm fucked if he's been going outside but I cant keep him cooped up in here forever. Thinking about putting him up in a motel or something but I don't know how I feel about him going from never being alone to being completely alone you know? How he'd handle that." Ezra mused.

"Well." Beth hesitated for a moment. "You know there's my place it you need it."

He watched her for a minute, silently, before commenting, "I'd have to really think about that I think, and so would you. Should make sure you can understand him first."

"I mean, it's not my first option but if they're hurting him then you can't just ignore that." She shrugged uncomfortably. "You promise me he's not dangerous and yeah, I'd really consider it if you needed a place for him. If you think of something better, great. If not..." she shrugged again.

"Come and meet him." Ezra laughed, "He might annoy the hell out of some people, but he's harmless."

"Harmless is a good start." Beth muttered. "Where is he?"

"My room. He's not doing so good, whatever he was on his body wants to stay on but apparently he's used to withdrawal which makes me sick to think why. I know you're probably tempted to say 'he's crazy, he's probably just saying that for attention' but just somethin` you'll realize. He's swear to god honest. He says it happened, you do some digging, guarantee you'll find out it happened." Ezra mused, taking her hand and leading her toward his room.

"That's fucked up." she muttered, letting him lead her. "I've seen withdrawal, you can't fake it. Is he younger then you?"

"Nah. Two years older. You might think he is sometimes and others you'd think he was my father." Ezra chuckled, "Though that last bit is...kinda rare."

Beth laughed softly. "Awe, he must love you then. Hurry up, I wanna meet him now."

"Alright, alright," Ezra smiled, guiding her down the hall to his room where he poked his head into the already open door, "Brought you company."

"Company's all in the mind. Especially my mind, and you gotta be careful how you say that cause it could have been really positive or really negative. Luckily I know your tone well enough to know the difference before you thrust a poor unsuspecting sane person into the room." Cristof mused, curled up in Ezra's bed still. He'd been gazing out the window from where he lay.

"Oh my..." Beth smiled against her will. She told herself she was going to be supportive but she couldn't suppress her laughter.

"Yes, you keep yourself company, but I brought another person. Play nice." Ezra grinned at him, "Beth, my brother Cristof, Cris, this is Beth."

"Nice to meet you Cris." Beth smiled, waiting for him to make a move before she did after entering the room.

Cristof stared at her for a moment, almost looking as if he was seeing more then just her appearance. For her it was unnerving, for Ezra it was normal. "Hello." he said finally. "New friend of Ezra."

Ezra walked in to gather the tray off the bed, looking over it's contents as he walked to put it on the desk in his room, "You ate quite a bit Cris, how's that staying down?"

"We'll find out won't we?" He laughed softly, not moving from his spot on the bed. "Ezra cooks well for me. Worth it either way."

"Oh..." Beth cooed softly, biting her lip as she smiled. "I hope you feel better soon Cris. Must suck to be stuck here."

Cristof shook his head. "All a matter of perspective, I gots wide perspective."

"And a damned positive outlook on life." Ezra smiled.

"Nothing wrong with that. Perspective is good." Beth mused.

"Not only that but the ability to change certain things to make them your advantage. I excel that that area." Cristof nodded.

"Clearly," Ezra chuckled, taking a seat next to his brother.

Cristof pouted at him, still not moving. "Don't make fun."

"I don't think he was teasing." Beth chuckled.

"I'm supposed to make fun. But I was serious. Look at you now." Ezra smiled.

"This isn't a bad situation. I'm with Ezra." he shrugged a little, not lifting his head from his pillow. He didn't have the strength to do it.

"Exactly, you changed something for the better." Ezra mused.

"How are you feeling though?" Beth asked, moving closer to the beds. "Looks like you've had a hard time."

"Better with Ezra." he muttered softly.

She turned her gaze towards Ezra. "He always refers to you by your name?"

"He only seems to use pronouns when he doesn't like someone. Used to be more people he only called by name, now it's mostly me and one of the nurses Adia." Ezra shrugged.

"Importants." Cristof agreed. "But Ezra has always been Ezra. Since he was born." He laughed softly.

Beth smiled. "Okay, he's...really cute."

Ezra chuckled, "He's my brother."

Beth only smiled and shrugged. "He can be both."

"You're not a nurse." Cristof said as if it were his observation. "Something else."

Ezra glanced at her curiously, "Haven't gotten to that conversation yet."

"I'm a secretary." Beth said with half a shrug. "Was a temp in a doctor's office for like a week and I interned at a pharmacy once. That was like two years ago."

Cristof gave her a long look before he nodded once. "Oh. Okay. Close but not close."

"That's fun." Ezra mused.

Beth smiled at him. "More like super boring, but yeah. Was kinda a weird thing to ask."

"No it wasn't." Cristof said, looking at her still. "I know when I ask something out of the blue and when I don't. I made the right connections and everything."

"Cris is good at observing people." Ezra offered a slightly different subject so he didn't have to say who was right and who wasn't. "I like to think I am too but he's better than me."

"Ezra just has to listen harder." Cristof said softly before looking at Beth. "Why visiting?"

She flushed a little from embarrassment and smiled. "I just came to see your brother, that's all."

"I've been a jerk to her." Ezra admitted for her benefit, "I kept forgetting to call her back."

Cristof leaned his head back enough to look at his brother. "Did Ezra apologize?"

Beth had to bite her lip to keep from smiling too broadly. Had she seen anyone else his age ask that question she would have rolled her eyes but Cristof looked genuinely honest about it.

"You know what, I don't know if I did. I'm really sorry Beth." Ezra looked from Cristof to Beth with a smile.

Cristof smiled and Beth had to keep from bursting into giggles. "I'm sorry too. Jumping to conclusions. I understand now."

"See Cris? You make me a better person." Ezra teased, reaching to mess with his brother's hair.

Cristof laughter continued and he grabbed at his brother's hand.

"My offer's still good." Beth smiled softly, looking at Ezra. "He's fine to me. If you need a place, mine's as good as any. Better then most."

Ezra smiled softly at her, letting his hand rest on his brother's head, "Honestly just the person factor and I can't think of anyone better. But only if it won't put you out any."

"Nah. I mean as long as he'll be okay while I'm at work. It's not a big deal. I only have a couple neighbors and we're not so buddy-buddy so I doubt any of them would even notice." Beth nodded.

"What does that mean?" Cristof looked up at his brother, not bothering to push Ezra's hand away. "What is Ezra talking about?"

"We're talking about whether she's okay with you staying with her and in a minute me and you are gonna talk it over. Well, later, we'll talk it over. But generally I cook for him because I don't know if he can cook. Which," He paused to look back to Cris "I haven't...even asked you. Can you cook? I'm assuming no one gave you the chance to learn that but you do a lot of things I wouldn't have expected."

Cristof gave him an alarming look but blinked it away as fast as he could manage. There was a pause before he tried to babble away his stress. "Ready made stuff. We're not allowed in the real kitchen but there were little pretends ones they'd take us too sometimes. I didn't like it. I'm not handicapped and they looked at me like I was. Adia let me heat stuff up sometimes but she wasn't supposed to. Adia would bring me stuff she wasn't supposed to. But I didn't need to be careful like the others. I can't real cook but I can I cook a little."

Beth stared, trying to absorb what he said. "So...no stove."

"No." Ezra smiled softly at his brother, "No stove. I'm cooking for him because for some reason, even before the withdrawals, he couldn't hold down serious food so I'm just making soup you know? Seems all right so far. Just makes me wonder what the fuck they did. Makes me... it irks me."

He paused to look at her before continuing, "Thank you for offering, I really do appreciate it. He needs to give me his opinion on it, which I think would work best after he gets some sleep. Another thing he has a hard time doing."

"Well I'd guess so." Beth nodded sympathetically. "He looks like he can barely keep his eyes open. You can just call and let me know later."

"I will, lemme walk you out." He stood finally.

"Sure. I'll see you later Cris." She smiled, moving to step back out of the room.

"Goodbye." Cristof muttered.

It took Ezra a few minutes since he didn't want to rush the woman out but he finally returned to the room and sat next to Cris. He'd witnessed her drive off and Cris had heard it making them both a bit more at ease.

"So was that a no then?" Ezra asked, referring to Cristof's earlier expression.

"It doesn't matter Ezra." he said softly, curled up still. "Not a bit."

"Yes it does matter Cris. It matters a lot." Ezra looked to him, "You know it matters to me. Fuck the fucking world if it doesn't matter to them but it matters to me, okay?"

"It'll be okay Ezra." Cristof said softly. "My head just hurts. It just hurts a little but it'll okay. I gotta go somewhere. Ezra's not safe if I stay here."

"You'd be fine staying here, if you think you can stay inside and away from the windows for a few months. I just don't want to ask that of you Cris because that would make _me_ insane and I don't even like going outside that much." Ezra watched him.

Cristof smiled up at him. "I'm already insane Ezra. I'm just okay with it. I'm used to things being...necessary despite what I want. Staying somewhere else will make Ezra feel better and hopefully make things easy for me."

"If you want to stay here and stay inside, that is what we will do. If not there's an option to stay with Beth. If you don't like here its gonna end up being a motel unless I think of someone else." Ezra shrugged.

"Just stop." he said softly, rubbing his eyes. "I can do it. I can."

"You're too used to people telling you what to do." Ezra touched Cristof's head, "It's whatever you want."

"I want to make things easy for Ezra." he said softly. "That's what I want. I already had to make things hard for Adia."

"I think you take things too seriously. Life is not easy; I'd rather do something that I wanna do than something I have to do. Like work. Hate work. That's hard and there's no real perks. This is not that hard so long as we're not stupid" He shrugged.

"Ezra please." Cristof looked up at him, sounding desperate. "I don't wanna argue with Ezra. I don't feel good."

"I'm sorry." Ezra said softly, "I forget sometimes you know? You wanna try to sleep?"

"I don't like sleeping." he said softly, curling up into a tighter ball.

"Not gonna feel better just laying there." Ezra slid down to lay next to him.

Cristof inhaled slowly. "That's life."

"No its not." Ezra argued, reaching out to rub his arm.

"It's mine." He mumbled. "This is the one thing I'm used to Ezra, but it doesn't make sleep come any easier."

"Maybe it _was_ your life but its gonna get better." Ezra mused gently.

"Thank you Ezra." Cristof muttered quietly. "It'll be okay."

"Yes it will." he muttered, sitting up too pull the comforter up and over his brother. He watched him for a minute before laying back again, deciding to stay for a while.  


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Thanks for reading.

**Sadistprincess-** Yes, Ezra sees things in his dreams. Cris…well..you'll have to wait for that one ^_^ And Cris doesn't hate TV he just doesn't need to watch it. He's learned to play in his own thoughts and doesn't need it. He likes to daydream instead. Lol and I don't mind the guessing, and if you think you have it bad. I can't stop talking like Cris either. I've gotten some strange looks. Lol.


	6. Falling snow

Woo..i'm late...someone should have reminded me to update…

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"Heeey open the dooooor." Ezra called as he knocked on the door. It was snowing earlier then expected and cold was not something he liked, "Its cold out here! C'mon!"

He waited a second longer before Beth pulled the door open. "It's just weird I tell you." she chuckled, stepping aside for him. "Come in, warm up."

"What's weird?" Ezra kissed her cheek and dusted off his head and shoulders.

"News was saying last night that it wasn't gonna snow for a couple more days, right? You're brother just kept shaking his head and said 'Nope, it's gonna snow tomorrow morning'." Beth pointed out the door for effect. "Weird."

Ezra chuckled, "Yup, he's our personal barometer."

"If he can do the same thing for sunny and rainy days then my wardrobe might be saved." she smiled, leaning him in.

"He can I think. Where is he?" Ezra asked.

"Kitchen. He's been at a window watching the snow fall for hours. The window might change but he's always at one of them. Said something about a different perspective." she said, leading him into the kitchen where his brother was seated on the floor, looking out the back door.

"Has he gone out?" Ezra asked, following her.

"I asked him and be babbled about not liking to go out in the snow without you." She shook her head. "Hey Cris."

Cristof barely flinched at all but had his face pressed to the glass of the back door from where he sat. He stared at in a daze, watching the snow flakes fall.

"So you wanna go outside with me?" Ezra asked.

He perked up instantly. "Yes. Can we?"

"I am going to need a blanket." Ezra looked to Beth with a smile, "You wanna come?"

"Sure." she shrugged, watching as Cristof jumped up and dashed out of the room like a small child, presumably to grab his coat and shoes. "Why do you need a blanket?"

"I hate the cold." He chuckled before yelling to his brother, "You put on a sweater too!"

"I got the impression he scared you once or something. It's hard to know for sure. That boy talks fast." she laughed quietly, walking down the hall to look into the linen closet to pull out a blanket.

"He did. Got lost once, almost froze to death because he decided to sit down and wait to be found." Ezra said reminiscently. "Now he never sits on cold ground or I guess, goes out in the snow without me."

"That's kinda adorable." Beth muttered to herself. "Guess he learned that lesson better then he needed to."

"Always been like that" He nodded, "He either will do it or he won't."

"He the same way with touching stuff?" Beth asked softly when she heard Cristof coming back towards them. She didn't want him to over hear in case he was sensitive over the problem. "At first I thought it was just a...you know in a new place kind of thing but he still won't touch anything he doesn't have to, but he's way curious."

Ezra shrugged, "I don't know what he has. Doctors don't know what he has. That's one of the other odd things about it. But anyway, he's just particular about certain things. Nothing to really worry about."

He wouldn't tell her about his brother. He trusted her plenty but there was no reason to drag her into that mess and he was sure Cristof wouldn't either.

"Let's go!" Cristof said, appearing suddenly at Ezra's side. "Just for a little while."

"Now he's setting a limit." Beth mused, slipping her coat on.

"Sweater under there?" Ezra asked.

"Yes." He smiled brightly. "Yes, yes, yes."

"Jeez Ezra." Beth chuckled, opening the kitchen door that lead out to her tiny yard. "He heard you the first time."

"Yeah. I want that blanket." Ezra stared out into the yard.

Beth waved the blanket at him that she held. "Come get it."

Cristof smiled faintly, waiting patiently for his brother to go first. He liked the prospect of his brother having friends even if he didn't know them.

"Thank you." Ezra smiled lightly. Walking closer, he pressing his lips to hers as he removed the blanket from her hands. He turned back to his brother before shaking his head, "Go on."

Cristof was almost bouncing on his feet as he went outside. He was oddly quiet since normally when he was excited he couldn't stop talking but this time he only walked out a few paces and stared up towards the falling snow.

"You like snow, Cris?" Beth asked.

There was a pause between them before he answered. "Not so much. But I like this snow."

Ezra smiled wide at his brother's response. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders before walking out, "It's pretty... "

"Yes." Cristof smiled, letting the snow land on his face. "I like to watch it fall. It's like it falls slowly. It hypnotizes."

"I've always liked snow." Beth mused, following them out into the yard.

"I always flinch cuz my eyes are afraid they'll land in them." Ezra mused. "So how did the day go? Or...your day and both of your evenings together."

Beth just glanced at him when Cristof didn't answer. He almost looked dazed as he stared up at the falling snow. "I'm not sure he moved at all while I was gone. At least it didn't look like it." Beth muttered softly.

"Does that sometimes too" Ezra commented though he was careful to keep the concern off his face, "Evening went good though?"

"Yeah. He followed me for a little while and I got him talking by asking questions. He was more interested in the snow though." Beth said softly, watching as Cristof took a few steps away from them.

"Sounds like my brother." Ezra smiled lightly, "He's still not feeling great I'm sure. It was only my wishful thinking that he would be better so soon."

"As long as you're sure it's normal for him." Beth commented.

"It's like stars falling." Cristof said suddenly. He smiled softly, his face already turning red.

"Billions and billions, just for us." Ezra agreed, holding an arm out to Beth, the blanket draped over it.

Beth slid into his arm and smiled, laying her head on his shoulder. "Is really pretty, and it'll probably snow through the night so tomorrow everything will really be covered."

"All night." Cristof repeated.

"Maybe I should stay. I gave Cris half my cloths, I'll have some for the morning." Ezra offered, wrapping his arms and the blanket around her.

"If you want to." Beth smiled up at him. "He might like that. Though I dunno how he'll take it when you go home."

"He seems to be dealing alright. What about you though?" Ezra asked, "Will I be ruining your nightly plans?"

"If I got nightly plans, chances are good you're involved. It's alright." She laughed softly.

Ezra paused and sighed a little. He was sure he was over thinking things but he couldn't seem to do otherwise. " Maybe he does need space..."

"Just an adjustment period." Beth agreed.

"Maybe." Ezra looked to his brother.

Cristof hadn't moved an inch since he had last spoke and was getting covered in snow as he watched it fall.

"He's so attached to you." Beth mumbled.

"Goes both ways." Ezra shrugged, "Tricky childhood."

"That's really great though, Ezra." Beth smiled up at him. "I bet he's loads better with you then in that hospital."

They both paused when they saw Cristof starting to sway slowly, a soft hum passing his lips.

Ezra nodded, "Lord I hope so."

"C'mon. We'll go inside. I'll make some coffee or tea." Beth said. "C'mon Cris."

Cristof tilted his head towards them a little but made no other moves to show that he heard her. He took a step further away and rubbed his hands together slowly as they grew cold.

"Would you mind starting the tea and giving him a few more minutes?" Ezra asked.

"Sure." Beth nodded slowly, pulling away from him and turning to go back inside. "Neither one of you should stay out long."

"I sure as hell won't." Ezra muttered, walking toward his brother.

Cristof was still singing softly under his breath, staring up at the snow and more then likely hurting his neck. He didn't seem to be paying attention to either of them and didn't even notice his brother until he was standing right next to him.

"You are so catching a cold." Ezra chuckled, reaching up to dust off his brother's head.

"A cold?" Cristof questioned, looking at him. "I'm sorry."

"Why? You'll be the one sick, not me. I'm not mad. You try to freeze yourself to death again and I'll be mad." Ezra mused, "You ready to go in?"

"Do we have to?" he muttered.

"No. Can stay out for a few more minutes." Ezra shrugged, a few more minutes out didn't matter to him.

"Kay." Cristof muttered, rubbing his hands together again.

"Here." Ezra slid the blanket off his shoulders to wrap it around his brother.

"Uh uh! It's Ezra's!" Cristof shook his head. "It's Ezra's."

"Yeah and I'm nice and warm and you're not." Ezra rubbed his brother's back.

Cristof smiled weakly. "I don't mind the cold. You know that. It used to be nice before that time back then. I don't mind it."

"I know you don't." Ezra smiled, walking over to sit on the steps.

Cristof tailed behind him, working himself up into a panic. "We can go in if Ezra wants to. Ezra doesn't like the cold. The house would be better."

"I was just gonna sit. You sat inside all day Cris, relax for a few minutes." Ezra smiled softly. After all this time he was used to his brothers panicking and speech.

Cristof knelt in front of him with a pout. "This isn't my house. Of course I sat all day."

"You can do what you want here too." Ezra said, patting the step next to him, "As much as you would at my house. Beth doesn't mind."

"No, I can't." Cristof frowned, getting up a to take the offered seat.

"Yes you can, I officially give you permission." Ezra said wrapping his arm around Cristof's shoulders.

"No." Cristof said stubbornly. "It doesn't feel right. It's not home."

"You're gonna be staying here too long to just do nothing." Ezra argued.

"No, I'm not." Cristof said softly, leaning his head on Ezra's shoulder. "But I'm not worried about it. It'll work out."

Ezra sighed, "All right."

"It's gonna be hard." he said softly, pressing his nose into his brothers shoulder. "But things have to be hard to get to a good place. Especially to get the results you want to have in the end."

"That is what they say." Ezra smoothed his hand over Cristof's hair.

"It's gonna be hard Ezra. It will be. But harder if we don't just let it be hard the way it wants to be." Cristof sighed.

"Why don't you just tell me what you know, mm?" Ezra said quietly.

"It's not what I know yet, Ezra. It's what I feel now. That feeling that swells in my head and in my stomach. What I should know won't come. I'm too afraid to touch things. I'm too afraid to know to much this time." He whispered.

Ezra tightened his arm around his brother, "I just don't want to find out too late you're in danger Cris."

"I don't want to find out to soon either." Cristof muttered vaguely, not bothered by his brothers hold on him. "Something's coming for me. Somewhere."

"That doesn't make me feel better but... I guess nothing will huh? C'mon, lets go in." Ezra rubbed his brother's arm.

"I'll never hide from Ezra. Not unless it keeps him safe. Ezra will always know first. It's okay." Cristof sighed softly again, getting up.

"I appreciate that Cristof, and unless it will flat out kill me, I want to know okay?" Ezra said as he stood.

Cristof didn't answer that time, only walked inside after kicking the snow off his shoes and dusting off his coat.

"Hey, that was serious Cris," Ezra tapped his shoes before heading in after his brother.

"Hm, hm, hm." Cristof muttered, refusing to answer him. "I'd like snow better if it wasn't so cold."

"Most people feel the same." Beth chuckled, standing at the stove.

"All people feel the same" Ezra sighed, knowing he wouldn't get a response. As much as he'd like to argue about it, he'd lost the chance.

"Nu uh, nu uh. Some people like the snow in the cold." Cristof paused. "I'd like it a lot more if it wasn't cold and if it wasn't white."

"Snow cones aren't white." Ezra mused.

Cristof eyes widened slowly and a grin was in place almost instantly. "Can I have one? That's a lot easier then painting the snow which is what I had wanted originally."

"Wow." Beth chuckled softly. "That's...new."

"Only if Beth's got lemon juice or something we can use," Ezra shrugged, "Or extracts and food coloring, I could work with that but I don't think she'd have that."

"You want a snow cone in winter. For real?" Beth stared.

"She thinks I'm weird." Cristof whispered loudly to his brother after a short pause filled with silence.

Ezra laughed, "Haven't you ever wanted ice-cream in winter? Same thing babe. We're more original then that."

"Well I got some stuff." she said, "You're welcome to look through it and see if you can use it. I've never made snow cones before."

"What does making them before have to do with anything?" Cristof asked, slipping his coat off.

Ezra laughed again, walking toward the kitchen; "Because, my dear brother, not making them means you're more...getting snow in a bowl."

"I'm fine with a bowl of snow as long as it isn't white." Cristof smiled happily. "I've often thought about eating a bowl of snow. Sounds yummy."

"You boys have fun with that." Beth said, hitting Ezra's shoulder. "You're dripping."

"And in pain." he chuckled, slipping of his coat and draping it over her head playfully.

"Hey!" She chuckled. "I'm hiding the snow cones."

"Ezra!" Cristof whined suddenly at the threat.

"And I'm hiding you, how odd of a coincidence" Ezra laughed, taking his coat back and draping it over a chair once he reached the kitchen.

"How mean, Ezra." Cristof scolded, trailing behind him.

"I'm only playing." Ezra reached back to mess up his hair.

Cristof laughed softly, swatting his hand away. "Okay. Can I have a snow cone now?"

* * *

Thanks for reading.

**Sadistprincess-**I'm glad you feel close to Cris. I have to say he definitely has a permanent room in my head. I adore him, which might be a little odd. Cris is hard to predict in who he likes and who he doesn't but it's pretty easy to tell if you watch what he says. ^_^ thanks for reading.

**SeasonsReasons**- ^_^ sry to cause the frustration but that makes it a good story.

**Artisttb-** thanks for reading.


	7. Slipped words

Remind me to update more…really…I forget…

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It had been a few more days before Ezra had gotten another call concerning Cristof. As much as he hated to think about it, he'd been expecting it. Frankly, his brother's welfare had been consuming his thoughts, but that wasn't a shock to him.

To play the part of a concerned and clueless brother he had to go down town to talk with the police and fill out paperwork properly. Doing that meant he had to be convincing in telling them that he didn't know where his brother was. Something he could excel at.

He came in; looking slightly tired and disheveled. Neither of which he had to fake with the real worrying he was doing.

"Hey, I was called." He said, talking to the man at the front desk who didn't seem to be the least bit sympathetic. "Name's Ezra Grandie. Here about my brother."

The officer nodded slowly, flipping through the papers on his desk. "Someone will be right with you, Mr. Grandie. You can have a seat."

Ezra nodded slowly, turning away to find a seat. This was going to be one of those things that took longer then necessary.

"Grandie? Are you Cristof's brother?" asked a woman he'd just seen shrug on a tweed coat out of the corner of his eye. Now she'd stopped entirely to look at him directly.

He looked at her with a frown. "Who are you?"

"Well that's not exactly a yes. My name is Adia Black. If he is your brother I was going to say I know this must be horrible for you and I really hope they find him, for you at least. He just didn't seem the type..." Adia sighed, running a hand through her hair, "Such a sweetheart."

"Adia?" He couldn't suppress a short laugh. "His nurse right? He talked about you a lot. You must have been good to him."

"Course I was. I would think everyone was but I treat them more like humans where others tend to treat them like toddlers." she sighed, waving him over to the seats, "He was a sweetie though, I spoiled him a little. He talked about you a lot too. Couldn't wait for your visits."

Ezra swallowed slowly, thinking he should have done more to see his brother. "Some weeks I couldn't wait to see him either." he muttered softly, taking a seat. "He hated that place. Just wouldn't say so."

"I know." Adia smiled weakly, "I was trying to make things easier on him. He got in a tiff with the doc then this. I'm gonna miss him."

"What tiff? What doctor?" Ezra frowned harder.

"Eh, he was refusing to go to his session so the doctor had to come to his room. Not uncommon but not something they approve of. He got threatened with his grounds privileges so he wasn't too happy. Likes being outside but I'm sure you know that bit." she smiled for him

Ezra sighed heavily, more or less knowing all that already. "He didn't deserve to be there. Doesn't deserve the crap he's gone through."

"You're probably right. He seemed too sane for that place. One of those independent living facilities maybe but he doesn't need to be in an institution with constant care." Adia muttered before sitting up straighter and commenting quickly, "Don't quote me on that. I'm just a nurse. Doctors...don't need to know I think that. you know?"

"I've known that for a long time, and my opinion doesn't matter either." Ezra muttered. "And look where that's gotten us."

"Yes but you are free to share that opinion, I might get in trouble so, really, if you don't mind." she said softly.

He shook his head. "Not gonna say anything. Not like it matters now. Why are you here exactly? They're asking you about him?"

"Apparently I spent too much time with him. They thought I took him or he'd come to my house or something. Cops woke me up that morning; scared the hell out of me and it sucked since I got home at almost three. He must have left after two. I check on him you know? Sometimes he doesn't sleep well." she sighed, "He was there until I left."

"He doesn't like to sleep." he muttered softly. "He knows schedules better then the people making the rounds."

"Must be why I always catch him, I am horrible at keeping to schedules. Always running late or something." She laughed despite how she felt.

"Guess you just missed him." He muttered, leaning back in his head. Now more then before he wanted to swing by Beth's house again to check on Cristof. It had been a day or two since he'd last been there but he was trying not to be overbearing. Even still he couldn't get rid of his paranoia.

"I'm really sorry," Adia said sincerely. "I can't imagine how you must be feeling but I can tell you I'm worrying myself.

Ezra nodded, looking back at her. "Oh, I know you are. Cris liked you a lot. He talked about you all the time."

"Guess we both had a spot on his favorites list then" she chuckled.

"Definitely." he smiled. "Dunno what they think talking to us will do though."

"Donno but I wish you luck." She shrugged, "They gave me a headache."

"You trying to give me something to look forward to?" he raised an eye. "I was hoping this would be a quick visit."

"Something to look forward to is that coffee shop down the street." Adia shook her head, "Where I was just headed."

"We'll see what time it is by the time I get outta here. Have a feeling they just want me sitting here for a while." he said a little louder, looking back to the guy at the front desk who pretended not to hear him.

"Should only take ten or fifteen minutes when you actually get back there. Just might take a minute to get back there." Adia chuckled.

"Certainly something that'll give Cris a laugh later." Ezra muttered. "Just glad he doesn't gotta deal with all this. Not yet at least."

Adia turned her head to stare at him. She sat wordless for moment before repeating, "Later?"

Ezra looked back at her, cursing silently. "Someone will come across him." he muttered. "I don't believe he's dead. I can't believe that. There's gotta be a later."

"I doubt he's dead," Adia mused, looking away, "He's smart enough to survive." She couldn't shake the feeling now though that he hadn't meant it that way.

"My job is to worry about him, you know?" Ezra said. "Gotta ignore that worst case scenario until someone can actually tell me something."

"Yeah, I get that," she said softly. "I just miss him. Livened up my days though he probably didn't know it."

"I bet he did. Smart boy." Ezra chuckled. "When he likes someone, he likes to see them happy. It's just how he's always been."

"And half the time it was just talking to him. I think he definitely used to do that but lately he's been kinda down. Even then though, his opinions and stuff, probably the stuff that landed him there, were just compatible with me on some level. He's not at all like the other patients." Adia nodded.

"No, I know he's not. He doesn't need that kind of help; he just needs someone to keep him company. To help him every now and then. He makes people nervous because of his good mood and inability to stop talking at times. Talking to someone he likes makes him happy." Ezra nodded. "But you gotta know that."

"I know." Adia smiled softly, "But hey, I gotta get that coffee and go because I have a shift starting soon. Tell you what though, I'm gonna give you my number and you call me if you need something or particularly if you hear something about him. Just would be good to know for sure he was safe."

She dug through her bag for a pen then scribbled her number on an old receipt.

"Oh, sure." he said. "I could do that. Would probably make him happy to know you were thinking about him."

"I hope so." she smiled, handing it to him before standing up and shrugging her purse onto her shoulder.

She stopped into the coffee shop as she had planned before heading off to work. She didn't normally drive but she had luckily anticipated the interview taking a while and besides, she wasn't in any mood to be alone with her thoughts. Arriving with time to spare she ducked out into one of the stairwells to enjoy her coffee and the small window it had.

"There you are." Abby said after a few minutes, peaking into the stairwell. "I knew I saw you come in." the other nurse smiled a little hesitantly, knowing where Adia had been coming from.

"Hey. Just wasting my few minutes of freedom." Adia chuckled..

"Sorry I feel like I'm taking them away from you." Abby chuckled. "Dr. Erickson and Marren want to have a word with you. I guess they want to know how it went." she finished quietly.

Adia chuckled, "Course. We all know how it went." Adia stood up, holding her coffee carefully, "I'm innocent."

Abby smiled. "We all know that but these cases are so...so sensitive." she sighed a little. "For all the trouble it's worth, I hope they find him."

"Me too." Adia nodded, walking through the door Abby held open for her.

"Good luck with them." Abby muttered, making her back to her post. She had her own work to do after all.

Both doctor's were seated in Erickson's own office chatting quietly amongst themselves as they waited for Adia to arrive. The last thing either of them has wanted was Cristof's or any other patient's disappearance and they were seemingly taking it as hard as everyone else.

Adia knocked before cracking the door open. She offered them a small grin, "You summoned?"

Dr. Erickson smiled and ushered her in. "Adia." he said, using the private moment to be less formal. "Come sit."

She walked in, taking a sip from her coffee as she shut the door before sliding into her seat.

"There still hasn't been any word." Erickson informed her. "It is as amazing as it is shocking that Cristof could have gotten so far away so quickly, or at the very least, so well hidden."

"I keep telling you guys I think we put him in the wrong category. He's way more capable. In good ways and in this case bad ones I guess." Adia shrugged.

"We're glad they no longer suspect you Ms. Black. You didn't seem the type to me anyway." Marren mused.

"I appreciate that." Adia nodded.

"Is rather curious." Erickson sighed. "I'd love to know how he managed to get out."

"Who knows?" Adia shrugged, "He's pretty smart when you really listen to him."

"Not that smart." Marren frowned.

"You obviously haven't spent long enough just talking to him." Adia chuckled, "But I will say I got a weird vibe from his brother so he might not be surviving on his own at least."

Erickson gave her a long curious look before continuing. "I suppose you met the younger Mr. Grandie today. As far as I've noted he's the only family member that's maintained an interested in Cristof. You think they're together?"

"I really donno, he just said something funny. And yeah, his name's Ezra." Aria shrugged.

"You sound as if you're on friendly terms." Erickson pointed out. "How would you feel about paying him a little visit."

Adia stared at Erickson and responded, "Highly uncomfortable."

"I think it's a good idea. You don't have to harass him just stop by, see if you can get inside to look around. He hasn't let the police in yet. By the time they get a warrant Cristof could be long gone and he needs medical attention. At very least to be weaned off the medications." Marren explained.

"It's already been days and if he isn't in someone's care then he's more then likely incredible ill." Erickson sighed. "You know as well as we do that some medications can't just be stopped. The effects can be critical."

"I know that, but it's not in my job description or in my comfort zone." she shook her head, "I am truly worried for him. He is one of the best patients I have ever cared for and I will even go so far to say I miss him but I'm sorry, that's not appropriate. Especially if I'm way off then mark. Then I'll just be making his brother uncomfortable."

"Ms. Black, I understand your concerns but finding Cristof is what is the most important. I can't imagine how Mr. Grandie would find your concern for his brother strange." Erickson said. "We need to do our part to help find Cristof and bring him back where he's safe."

"If he's with his brother he's fine. Ezra doesn't seem like he'd let him die. If he goes into a bad state of withdrawal he'll probably take him to a hospital and that'll be the end. And if he does and Ezra can handle him, Cristof isn't violent to himself or others. It's not in my control and its not my concern because he's fine if he's there. And if he isn't I'll be very obviously poking around for nothing." Adia frowned.

Erickson shook his head. "You call it poking around. I would like to think of it as more...concern for the family. I understand your attachment to the boy, but this is where he needs to be. He recent behavior makes that more evident."

"I think he just doesn't like it here. And as I said if his brother can handle him its not really my concern. It might be yours but its not mine." Adia stared at him.

"Don't you want to be a part of something productive?" Marren asked.

"I don't see what's so productive, wasting time I could be caring for the patients we do have looking for one who doesn't want to be here."

Erickson shook his head. "We may be a smaller facility but we are efficient. This situation is the first tarnishing mark we will have to endure. Even if it gets out we can deal with that, but what will we have to show for it? That it was acceptable for one of our patients to wander out on his own? Is lost only God knows where? We certainly can't sit back and expect to hear from the police, no. We need to be involved in the process of searching for Cristof."

"And if you want to hire a P.I., that's cool, I don't have that degree, I'm a nurse." Adia gestured to herself.

"And the best we have on hand to deal with this situation. Ezra Grandie might know more then he's saying. He might be more inclined to talk to someone his brother would consider a friend then any police, doctor or detective." Erickson said.

"I'm sorry, I'm not going to take part in this and I'm late for my shift." Adia stood.

"Perhaps we should cut off your access to the medicine supply." Marren said casually causing Adia to freeze slightly.

"Did you think that was something we wouldn't notice, Adia?" Erickson tsked.

"Places don't usually..." Adia muttered.

"Places you worked were bigger and didn't pay as much attention." Marren pointed out. "Why don't you sit."

"We're not here to scold you, Adia. If fact, who better then us to help you." Erickson smiled but it did nothing for the sinking feeling she was experiencing. "It's really more of an incentive to help us with this."

"Yeah, I see how you worked that out." Adia sighed and looked out the window. It was horrible, what she was feeling now.

* * *

thanks for reading! ^_^

**Sadistprincess**- sorry I'm late again, I really just…forget. I need reminders…I'm not giving anything away really, but I will tell you, I'm pro happy endings. So don't worry a lot. Beth is up in the air at the moment. Time will tell. I love guesses! All will be revealed in time. And you know whats funny. Cris would just tell you if you asked…people don't ask. Thank you for reviewing ^_^


	8. Needing Ezra

Mayhaps I will update twice this week. We'll see. ^_^

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Beth carried a tray up the steps in her home to her guestroom where Cristof was already laying. "Hey you. Time to eat."

"You fuss and you fuss and you fuss too much." Cristof muttered, staring out the window.

"And you always fight. Come on. Sit up straight so you won't spill anything." Beth coaxed with a smile.

"No, no, and no." Cristof said, momentarily missing Adia. She always knew what to say to him. "And a walk in the snow." he continued softly.

"No walk in the snow. It's far too cold out today." She stood next to him with the tray, "Sit up, please."

"I didn't want to walk in the snow." he frowned at her. The thought of snow made his mind drift onto other things.

"Cristof. Sit up please." she repeated.

He stared at her with a small frown. "_You_ are not Ezra." he emphasized that fact that he didn't yet use her name. He sat up slowly, staring at the tray. "I'm not hungry."

"But you need to eat and even _Ezra_," she said, emphasizing his name, "agrees."

"You are not Ezra. You do not tell me what to do. Ezra is Ezra and that is another matter." Cristof said, pulling the tray closer to inspect it's contents. "I don't want this."

"Well then I'll call Ezra and tell him I can't do this." Beth placed her hands on her hips, "I thought you wanted to make things easier on him."

"I am. You are not." Cristof said, picking up the spoon and dropping it immediately as if it slipped from his grip. He stared at his hand with a frowned and picked it up again. "Bother."

"I am making it easier on him. I am housing you, cooking for you, cleaning up after you. If you're going to act that way I'm going to have to tell him I can't handle it and you're going to be a burden on him." she stared at him.

"Cleaning up after what?" He raised an eye. "I sit here. I didn't ask you to cook. I told Ezra I could do simple stuff. I told him. You don't listen." he took a bite and continued to frown.

"So you think sheets get magically changed on their own and the towel hangs itself up in the bathroom? That your cloths magic themselves into the laundry. No darling. That would be me. And I don't mind, but I would like a little appreciation." she crossed her arms.

"Life isn't about what we want." he stared at her for a moment. "Hasn't my situation taught you that?"

"Well I prefer the motto life is what you make of it. And I plan to make the most of mine. Maybe if you could learn to say thank you instead of arguing we could get along." Beth challenged in a patronizingly calm tone.

"You're as bad as Erickson." Cristof grumbled. "I've already started eating. That means you can go away."

"You've been throwing up lately. I'd rather clean it now than in a few hours." she said simply.

Cristof stared still, not saying another word but he knew in most situations that many found his stare to intense to maintain for long periods. Mostly because they never knew what he was thinking.

Beth blinked at him, her expression neutral like her tone for a long while before she broke the silence, "You didn't get sick this morning so you really should eat more than that."

"You eat it." he blinked. "I'm full."

"I already ate and you didn't even eat half. It's a small portion Cristof, you're not going to get better if you don't eat anything."

He looked at her directly. "You really don't care."

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't waste my breath." She shook her head, "Eat."

"You care but you don't care." he accused, obviously needing a translator. "I return the sentiment. I don't care about you either."

"Eat" she repeated.

He shook his head. "You eat."

"We've been over this Cristof. Eat."

"You're acting odd." he said instead, tearing apart a chunk of the bread that accompanied his meal. "Strange."

"And you're being difficult." she shrugged"

"As I am normally." He agreed, talking between bites. "One strange is normal and one is an oddity in a series of events. Now go away."

Hours passed and Beth mostly left Cristof alone. It was almost midnight and they were both asleep when the doorbell rang. It startled and annoyed Beth and scared Cristof enough that he wished he had the stamina to crawl under his bed.

A very groggy and annoyed Beth finally made it to the door by the time the doorbell rang a second time and peeked out the window with mild surprise before opening the door. "Ezra? You know what time it is?"

"I'm sorry. I just needed to see Cris." Ezra ran a hand through his hair. "I was going to knock on his window till I got here and realized...its upstairs."

Beth gave him a concerned look. "You know he's probably asleep. I mean, you're welcome to go see him but don't you think this is a little overboard?"

"Yes, I do actually but I'd rather be wrong and know than be right and not know," he stepped inside, "Just got an impulse. Sometimes they're pointless, sometimes they're dead on."

"Impulse?" she questioned, giving him a long look as she shut the door. "In the middle of the night?"

"You think I'm odd but that's how I found him sitting in the snow. I wasn't even home that day to see him leave, I was at my friend's." Ezra mused, shrugging out of his coat. "How has he been?" He left out the bit that he'd found Cristof in the middle of the night after waking up from a dream about where his brother was. She didn't need to know all that.

"Grumpy." She said, taking his coat from him to hang it up. "All he wants to do it be stubborn. I gotta argue with him to get him to eat."

"I'm sorry about that. I do too but it's more like, outwitting him." Ezra muttered.

"He would just start to stare at me. Was a little…eerie." she finished after taking a moment to think of the right word.

"I'm really sorry," Ezra pressed his lips lightly to hers.

Beth kissed him gently. "You sure you haven't worked yourself up for no reason?"

"Well, that's what I'm here to see you know?" Ezra shrugged.

"If you're sure." She said, leaning up onto her toes and kissing him lightly again. "Could always spend the night with me."

"Might consider that" he smiled.

"See to it that you do." she grinned a little.

"I'm gonna go check on him, second door, right?" Ezra asked.

She nodded. "Right. Might even still be asleep."

Ezra nodded, knowing he'd wake him up regardless. Cristof could sleep during the day, now he needed to check on him. He headed up the stairs and into Cristof's room without knocking. Cristof was in fact sleeping. Ezra lowered himself to sit on the bed next to his curled up brother and reached to stroke his hand through his hair.

The first thing he noticed were the tear stains down his face and the fact that he looked wary even in his sleep. He didn't move when Ezra touched him and continued to sleep. He hated that his brother was curled up and didn't understand why he was sleeping on top of the covers.

Ezra shook Cristof gently, "Hey, wake up."

It took him several more tries before Cristof's eyes cracked open. "What?" he muttered, his voice sounding oddly thick.

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked quietly.

Cristof seemed to stare off for a moment before he realized it was actually Ezra who sat next to him. "Ezra's here?" he asked, reaching out slowly.

"Yeah, I'm here middle of the night." Ezra laughed, grabbing his brother's hand.

A small smile crossed his brother's lips. "I like it when Ezra's here. Even if it's in the middle of the night."

"I like being here too." Ezra let go of his brother's hand, getting up and moving to the end of the bed before tugging the blankets hard so they slid out from under his brother. "Silly. Are you okay?"

"I'm tired." Cristof muttered, reaching up to rub his eyes. "I hate to sleep."

"I know but it seems even you can't escape your bodily functions." Ezra shook the blanket so it cascaded over Cristof before returning to his side and laying down this time.

"I hate to be made to do anything." Cristof whispered softly.

Ezra smiled slightly, "I know Cris. I'm just...glad you're okay."

"Ezra was worried about me?" Cristof asked. "Please don't. The hands of time are turning and I'm caught already I think."

"I had a dream," Ezra said quietly.

"A dream." Cristof repeated. "What dream?"

"It's not a prediction, or it isn't yet, so I'm not worried." Ezra shook his head, sure the last thing is brother needed was more things to worry over.

Cristof made a face. "Tell me the dream."

"You need sleep, not worries. I'm just going to have to watch out for you." Ezra reached up to poke his brother's cheek, "And don't make that face at me."

He continued making the face. "I want to know, Ezra. Don't keep things from me."

"I won't freak you out with something that's potentially a nightmare anyway." Ezra shrugged, "On another note, I met Adia."

"Adia." Cristof cooed, completely side tracked. "I miss my Adia. Why did you see Adia?"

"Apparently we're both on the suspect list for your disappearing. She was at the police station when I went to be interviewed." Ezra explained, "I see why you like her."

"Adia is so nice. Adia talked to me and not at me and Adia would also bring me treats and take me for walks and would sit with me even when I was crabby." Cristof said. It was obvious he was trying to be excited but his voice was tired. "Adia was good."

"She misses you." Ezra nodded, rolling onto his back and pulling up the blanket.

"I didn't want to get Adia in trouble." he sighed, moving closer to Ezra's side but his arms almost shook as he tried to push himself up.

Ezra looked to his brother, "You didn't."

Cristof slumped back onto the bed with a sigh. "But they were questioning Adia. Questioning Ezra. I didn't want that."

"That's expected. But it doesn't hurt anyone. What'd you need?" Ezra asked.

He shook his head back and forth as he pressed his face into his pillow. "It's fine Ezra. Don't worry. No more worries, no more. I can't take it."

"I'm going to worry over you. You're the only family I like. Deal with it." Ezra reached over, pulling the blanket up across Cristof.

"I feel so weak, Ezra. So tired. I don't like it." he said softly, momentarily sounding more childlike.

"Might be part of the withdrawal," Ezra said softly.

Cristof almost seemed to be sniffing back tears. "I thought I was getting better. I don't like feeling like this Ezra."

Ezra felt until his fingers contacted Cristof's wrist which he grasped, "I know Cris. I wish I could make you better."

"Will you stay Ezra? Don't leave me alone tonight." he muttered, fingers shaking in a nervous reaction. "I can't do it tonight."

"Why else would I be under the covers?" Ezra turned his head to smile at Cristof, "C'mon."

"You leave sometimes." Cristof whispered. "I always miss it when Ezra leaves again. I don't want to miss it."

"I'll wake you up when I have to go to work then." Ezra offered.

Cristof inhaled. "I don't want you to go to work. It's busy at work. Over worked Ezra and I won't get to see you."

"You will get to see me, I'll be back afterwards. At five." Ezra promised.

"Work is over worked soon. Less Ezra." Cristof shook his head. "Less Ezra. Conflicted Ezra. Worried and confused."

"I'll be back and it will be fun and then the day after is Saturday. No work." Ezra rubbed Cristof's arm.

"Promise?" Ezra asked softly

"I promise" Ezra agreed.

Cristof smiled a little but it wasn't his genuine smile. His blinking had become uneven his he started shifting his weight from one side to the other. "I'm scared, Ezra."

"I'm here to protect you." Ezra said surely.

"Can't stay with me forever and always." Cristof muttered. "I would be a burden that way. I don't want to be a burden for Ezra. Not Ezra. No one else counts. Not her."

"I'm going to look out for you as much as I can no matter what you say." Ezra shrugged. "You're going to be okay."

"I will be okay eventually, but it's such a long road. Such a long twisty road where things happen on accident and things are lies and other things are forced. I don't want Ezra on that road." Cristof mumbled.

"So you're the one not telling me things." Ezra looked at him. "You could tell me."

"The road gets hard before it gets better." he said softly, "I knew that from the start."

"And what else." Ezra prodded.

"My head hurts Ezra. It hurts." he said softly, moving slowly closer to her brother, using more effort then it should have taken.

"Always pulling the sympathy vote." Ezra shook his head, "Why don't you sleep some more. I'll be right here."

"I don't like not having a choice." he sniffed, laying his head on Ezra's shoulder. "I don't know anymore Ezra. I thought this was better but I don't know anymore. Everything is so mixed up. I don't know why it's mixed up."

"Life isn't perfect Cris, but it'll be alright, okay?" Ezra promised, reaching across his torso to smooth back Cristof's hair a few times. Sometimes he felt more like a father than a brother but it suited him well enough.

"No Ezra, listen." Cristof muttered, pressing his face into his shoulder. His eyes slid shut and he looked like he would drift to sleep at any moment.

"I'm listening but you're not talkin`." Ezra whispered.

"Scared." Cristof muttered, slipping away to sleep.

"I'm here." Ezra insisted.

Before Cristof could get another word out he drifted back off to sleep. He had curled himself up next to his brother in a way he hadn't in years.

Ezra used his free hand to tug his phone from his pants and text Beth that he was staying with Cristof. He felt bad but he'd have felt worse leaving Cris.

* * *

Thanks for reading

**Chibi Cherry Blossoms**-I would love an alarm that tells me to update…my days just blur together sometimes. I meant to put this up like…a week ago. As far as Adia goes, just keep in mind that Cris likes her. ^_^

**Sadistprincess-**The doctors at this point are questionable. There's time to decide later. Same goes for Adia. To answer your question, I'll let Cris talk for himself.

Cristof: "The computer is talking to me. That's not normal, is it?"

Cris…you're just too cute…

**6kimiko6**- thank you very much for taking the time to review ^_^

**Delia Anole-** I LOVE LONG REVIEWS. You make my heart soar. –going down reviews— I'm so glad you like the story. Cris actually gives a lot away but people don't usually listen to him other then Ezra. It's kinda fun to think about. His hatred of white is more a symbol of his being confined. He didn't hate it as a color so much before being admitted to the hospital. Him touching things…that will be explained later ^_^  
Adia to me is pretty realistic and to me says that even people you love can have issues. Cris is..pretty blunt in who he likes and who he doesn't. no filter in that boy, lol. Some of the response, especially when Cris is involved, don't make sense. When it's Cris and Ezra, they are also good at understanding babble to a point that others don't get, it's supposed to be like that. And my grammar sucks….sucks a lot…I'm sorry about that. I reread the chapters so often that I have lines memorized and read right over mistakes. This isn't so much a fairy tale as it is just a fantasy but Cris loves fairy tales so it was more of a joke for me.

Thanks so much for reviewing ^_^


	9. Causing trouble

Second chapter this week. I didn't forget! woo.

* * *

Ezra sighed heavily, setting his things down as he got home from work. He was a little later then planned but it was only just dinnertime. He checked messages on his machine and sighed almost in relief to find nothing new on it. The soon the police stopped trying to contact him the better.

Keeping his promise he only planned on being home for a few minutes before going to see brother. He hadn't had another dream but something bothered him all the same. Cris looked fine but there was still something gnawing at him he couldn't place.

He was grabbing his coat again when there was a knock at the door and he groaned inwardly.

Adia stood at the other side with her red coat. For once though she wasn't wearing scrubs. Instead she wore jeans which were tucked into a pair of black boots. She couldn't rid herself of her anxiety over even being there but she didn't really have a choice.

He pulled the door open and stared for a moment until he could remember her face. "You're...Adia?" he muttered, not moving to let her in. "Why are you here?"

"Well...I've been thinking, I'm still sort of doubting Cristof's really missing," She said.

Ezra raised an eye. "So he just disappeared?"

"No, I think you have him." She said bluntly, not waiting for an invitation to walk past him into the house.

Ezra scoffed. "The hell do you think you are?" he said, slamming the door behind her and turning to face her. "Believe me, I wish he was here."

"Well my bad, you either talk weird or you cover up badly." She mused, looking around.

"Should I pretend to know what that means?" he stared, looking agitated.

"You can do what you want. The cops may not be able to get in here without a warrant but I can and the withdrawal that man might go through is worth the effort I think." Adia shrugged, wondering to another room.

"Cops can't get in without a warrant, but you can get arrested for fucking trespassing." Ezra nearly growled. "He's not here."

"Okay, well then you got nothing to worry about do you? Less you're hiding some sort of meth lab." she chuckled, not pausing for a moment so he was forced to trail after her.

"This the kind of shit nurses are paid for now? Cris isn't here. You can't just barge into people's homes." he said, voice louder then a normal speaking tone, but then he was pissed off.

"I wish I was getting paid for this." She muttered.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Ezra sighed loudly. "He's not here. The hell are you even looking for him for? It's none of your business."

"You can say he's not here all you want but until I _see_ he's not here, it won't mean anything. And I made it my business; therefore it is my business. That's why I adored him, he totally got that." Adia smiled lightly.

"Have at it." Ezra glared. "Then you can fucking leave when you get that he's not here."

"Okay." she shrugged.

"Bitch." he grumbled, walking away from her before he let something slip. She couldn't find what wasn't there. Walking back into the living room he let the irritation really sink in. He wouldn't be able to see Cristof with her around.

"You'll come to ignore the rough edges." she called to him as she walked away.

"I can ignore a lot but not someone roaming my house like they own it!" he yelled.

"Rough edges sweets, rough edges!" She hollered from farther away.

"What a bitch." He muttered, slumping down in the living room to wait for her. He wasn't about to follow her around when he was already anxious. People just didn't show up with assumptions. "The hell does he like her for."

In another room, Adia was picking through the cloths she'd dumped out of his laundry bin. She'd already skimmed through his drawers and her next stop would be the closet. She was used to these kinds of searches but she used to do it looking for cash. She'd already seen cash and skipped right by it. She stopped her search cold when she saw a blue sweater that looked too familiar. She lifted it and held it so she could see the collar, looking for the small crest that represented the hospital.

Patients were allowed to wear their own cloths but they were given a few pieces regardless. Like the sweater she was holding. She sighed quietly, relief swelling in her as well as anxiety. She was happy beyond belief he was safe but torn that she'd have to find him.

It only took a couple minutes for Ezra to get impatient and he ended up calling Beth, feeling sorry that as if late all of his calls were him calling to check on his brother rather then her.

"Hello?" she answered after a few rings.

"Hey." Ezra muttered, speaking softly. "How is he? Better?"

She laughed a little. "Yeah. A lot better I think. He ate the first time I asked. He's been sleeping a lot though. Getting it out of his system I guess. I try to coax him outta the room but he doesn't seem to be all that interested."

"That happens." Ezra said a little too quickly. "I don't think I'm gonna be able to get there tonight."

"Why not? Something come up?" she asked, not sounding overly concerned.

"Mm." He muttered. "Someone's here asking about him. A nurse. Just not gonna deal with that shit tonight. Gonna stay in."

He was met with silence for a few seconds before she responded. "That could be what he was babbling about. He seems to think someone's out to get him."

Ezra sighed softly, wondering which of his dream he should be paying the most attention to. "Yeah, maybe."

"Nurses don't just go off and decide to look for missing patients. It's not their business. Something's not right." Beth said, reinstating what he already knew.

"I'll fix it, or at least stall it." He said, speaking softly still. "I'm not worried. She can search all she wants he's not here."

"Wait, she's there now?" Beth said, "You shouldn't just let her wander around, Ezra. You don't know what she could be doing."

"I don't really care right now. Not about her. She doesn't care about Cris more then I do so I don't care much why she's here, even if he does like her. Apologize to him for me." Ezra said quietly, rubbing his eyes.

"I will." She said. "Don't worry about him, Ezra. I'm taking good care of him."

He sighed. "Thank you, Beth."

"Can thank me later." She chuckled. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, bye." He sighed, hanging up. At least he could count on that.

Adia stood in the hall, listening to the last half of his conversation. As he hung up her mind started to churn and rethought her idea of directly confronting him. She walked quietly back to his bedroom and dug the shirt into the cloths she'd stuffed back into the hamper before returning to the room.

"Okay, I'm satisfied."

"Great." he said in a dull tone. "Can get the hell out now."

"So crabby." she sighed.

"How about I go over your house looking for Cris and go through your shit." Ezra said, getting up and moving towards her. "He's not here. Same damn thing I told the police. Doors that way."

"You're welcome to look though my apartment, that's what I told the cops. Let em in too, which they said you didn't do." she shook her head, patting his back lightly before letting her hand drop to slip his phone quickly and discreetly out of his pocket. "I just had to check."

"Great. Don't you have a job to do or something? My brother wasn't the only patient you have." Ezra muttered tiredly.

"Clearly my shift isn't till later," she gestured to her jeans as she shoved her hand which still held his phone into her pocket.

"Uh huh, and we're not old friends so you can go now." Ezra stared, looking unhappy with her lingering.

"If you say so." She turned walking away toward the door. She pulled the phone out as soon as she was out of his sight and scrolled to the call log. She clicked into the contact and was delighted by the fact that the address was listed in the GPS section. She stopped on her way to the door at his desk, grabbing a pen and writing the address on the back of her hand. Canceling out of the application, she entered into the one labeled 'parents home' and opened the GPS on it, leaving it for him to think that's what she was looking for. Crime wasn't anything new for her but all of it had happened years ago, when she could get caught and get a slap on the wrist for being under aged. Then she found other ways.

The address was enough for now but it would pose problems for her later. She wanted to find Cris but for what cause? She didn't want to drag him back but there was an urge in her to see for herself that he was all right.

She made it back to work with a near immediate message to return to Dr. Erickson's office. The doctor's were, for whatever reason, impatient and it gave her little time to procrastinate, or at the very least little time to think about what she had already figured out.

Adia didn't knock like she usually did; she opened the door and walked into his office, her mind reeling over the situation.

"Ms. Adia." Erickson said, looking up at her with a fairly sincere smile. "Good of you to stop in before you started your shift."

"I wasn't aware I had a choice." Adia chuckled.

"That's a bit of a dreary way to look at things." he mused. "Have you paid Mr. Grandie a visit?"

"I have a witty response to that too but I think you'd call it dreary" she mused "Yeah, I saw him, pissed him off looking through his house. If I go to jail you better bail me out or I'm finding your house and burning it down." Adia mused.

Erickson actually chuckled. "No need to be hostile, Adia. I understand perfectly. Any news on Cristof?"

"He was there at some point. I even looked in the crawl space; he's not there. Might be at some hotel or something though." she shrugged.

"It is possible he would go to the trouble of hiding him." Erickson sighed. "You're sure he was there?"

"Yeah, some hospital pieces there. And he should hide him, a smart person would. Cops have been there every day, you know? Sooner or later they're gonna want to come in." Adia shrugged.

"Maybe that's true." Erickson conceded. "I do have a list of his parents properties for security and contact reasons. Perhaps there's a chance he's hidden in one of those places. You could look into that."

"Why don't you do it, why am I doing all the dirty work?" Adia sighed.

"You know exactly why." Erickson said. "You are the most capable for the job, and it is a way for you to work off certain deeds."

"You have a creepy way of talking." she pointed out, "Fine. Whatever."

He laughed softly. "I'm sure you can work this out for your benefit. Getting Cristof back would restore much of your past here. All of it more then likely. It's a sure way to pull yourself up higher amongst our ranks."

"I don't want to be higher in ranks. I like being a nurse. I like working with patients." Adia shook her head, "I don't need more stress."

"That much is obvious." Erickson said flatly. "Continue searching for Cristof. He needs to be found."

"Fine." she stood up. "Can we go without the daily meetings? I'd like to not have a rumor start that there's something between us. Would be weird."

He rolled his eyes. "To say the least. I want to be kept updated on your progress."

"Don't you have a cell phone?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Adia." he said. "I want to be kept informed. Things like this never turn out well when technology is involved. I won't leave a paper trail in this."

She stared at him for a moment, "And you call them crazy? The other hospitals do not care if you are looking for your patient, the police will not care that you are looking for your patient, no one cares that much about you, no offence intended. The only case that would come in handy with would be if I get arrested and need some proof but I won't need proof because I won't be involving the police. I'll be burning down your house. I don't see the issue."

"You don't need to see the issue, Adia." Erickson said. "If you did, I would share that information with you. You concentrate on finding Cristof."

"I am not coming in here again so you better find another way for your updates then." she frowned, "Not my fault you're afraid of your own shadow, you go right ahead and make your own life hard, don't drag me into it."

"It's a bit to late for that, Adia." he said, leaning back in his chair comfortably. "Get to work now."

"Don't call me in here again or I'll come out of this office filing a sexual harassment suit against you. Believe me I can pull it off. You are not the only one with threats and mine are probably a hell of a lot better." she said before turning around and heading for the door.

* * *

Thanks for reading!

**Sadistprincess**- Cris in one of a kind in most things he does, yes. He is very blunt with what he's feeling and what he's thinking. He catches onto things quick. Doctor's….well…there you are…

Cristof: Ms. Writer. I'm hearing voices that are unfamiliar to me. I should invite them to tea….

…you do that Cris. Tell Ezra first…

**Silverbolts**- Lmao. They shared a bed all the time when they were little. They don't..care…lol. Thanks for reading.


	10. Calling favors

Woo, back to updating regularly.  
Are you proud? I am.  
Enjoy.

* * *

Cristof sat curled up on the floor, leaning back against the bed. He didn't have the energy to climb up into the bed and wasn't even sure if he wanted to anymore. False comfort was an unfair price to pay. He'd thrown up again but it wasn't doing him any good now, in fact it really only made him feel worse. It took most of his strength to get up onto his knees and he knew leaving the room the way he wanted would be a bad idea. As much as he wanted Ezra, he wouldn't dare drag him into this.

"Now that that's all cleaned up, lets get you back into bed huh?" Beth offered as she entered the room.

"Lets not. I don't want you touching me." Cristof muttered, laying his head on his knee. "No touching me ever."

"Cris, I know you're not feeling well but don't be hostile. It isn't my fault." Beth sighed.

Cristof gave her a disbelieving look. "We both know that it is. The difference is that one of us is in denial about it."

"Now that's silly." she gave him a look, "Come on, you need to lay down."

"No." he said stubbornly, noticing she didn't make a move towards him.

"We're not going to debate this Cris, you cannot sit here on the floor." she shook her head, finally stepping toward him, though with a bit of nervousness it seemed, and reaching to grab his arm.

"No touch!" he said loudly, jerking his arm away from her. "I'll sit where I want, even a hospital allowed me that! Dictator! Leave me be and stop drugging me! Leave me be! I'll sit where I want to sit!"

She blinked at him, a small frown forming on her lips; "Well that was rude."

"Dictator." he repeated, tracing pattered in the carpet with his fingers. "Liar, cheater, filled with a gentle loathing that creeps amongst the grass as a silent predator."

"You're babbling," she sighed, "And you need to lie down."

"I need many things. I need to not starve." Cristof muttered, slumping against the side table that was next to the bed.

"You're not gonna starve." she huffed, "I feed you plenty and you keep at least half of it down."

"Then stop drugging it. I won't eat any more. None! No, No, No. Not until I see you eat from the plate." Cristof said. "No more. I won't do it."

"Well then." she picked an imaginary piece of lint off her sleeve, "We'll just have to reconsider the dosing method. Injections maybe."

"You are a nurse." he all but groaned. "Lies upon lies."

"I am not a nurse, but my brother happens to be a psychiatrist." she shrugged, "Maybe it'll even lessen the side effects if it isn't going through your digestive track."

"You poison me!" He said loudly, "I won't take more! Cunning snake seeking a small bounty and stealing a feast. Reaper."

She chucked this time, "You're babbling again. If you won't take it then it'll have to be injections."

"You won't." he said, looking uncertain as fear entered his misdirected gaze. "You don't know what's in me already. Overdosing could kill me and my corpse is useless."

"Your withdrawal was over days ago, whatever you were on is out of your system. All that's in you now is our little cocktail and it's well measured." She shook her head.

"Liar, seducer, reaper." Cristof said softly. "Terrorizer, monster doing the deeds of those who secure the luxuries you wouldn't otherwise have."

She stared at him; "You are odd. I'll bring you the pill tomorrow. You can either take it, or I'll have the needle waiting."

"No needles." he stared back at her harshly. "I'm no use to you dead, and I know things about you now. You're walls talk louder then you're words. No needles. No needles and no Ezra."

"Then take the pills." she shrugged.

"Stop talking to Ezra." He frowned.

"You take the pills, and I'll only talk to him if _he_ calls _me_." She smiled.

Cristof actually glared. "Sever your ties. The bounty on my head is bigger then the one you were blindly sent after."

"Well I can't just stop answering. I'm not stupid. He'll come and take you from me and I cant have that." she mused.

"Sever your ties." Cristof repeated. "This no longer concerns Ezra. Ezra is busy on Ezra's own."

"If he calls me I will answer, otherwise consider it done." she said, "Take it or leave it."

"Witch," he said simply, tracing his fingers over the carpet again.

"I'll bring your pills tomorrow then." she smiled pleasantly.

"Skeletons in the closet keep a person bold. Flashiness hides the darkness." Cristof muttered. "And it's blinding here."

"You're a little odd did you know that?"

"Says the witch." Cris muttered.

"You shouldn't say hurtful things."

"You shouldn't do hurtful things." he sighed. "You are a bad person."

"I am not a bad person, I'm sorry you see it that way." she sighed.

"You drug me. That's bad. You use Ezra, that's bad. You're bad." Cristof said, staring at one spot on the wall. He was refusing to look at her anymore.

"I like Ezra a lot but this is unfortunately more important than a relationship that hasn't even started yet." she shrugged.

"You lie." he said simply.

"I did not lie but you'll believe what you want anyway." she chuckled.

"Because I know." Cristof gave her a cold look. "You do things for yourself and no one else. Liar. Cheater. You selfish witch."

"And I like him for myself, I knew him before I knew you." she pointed out, "Before I knew _of_ you."

"You were after the bounty on his head and found one with a better price. It's all the same difference. Deceiving is deceiving." Cristof shook his head, feeling the bile rise in this throat.

"You're delusional," she said.

Cristof shook his head. "Witch, you know your a pawn and turn a blind eye to it."

She sighed tiredly. "If you want to think so then fine, I'll bring the pills in the morning."

"You will leave me be." He muttered softly, laying his head on his knee and closing his eyes to suppress the urge to vomit.

"So long as you take them I won't have to give you injections." Beth said instead of responding directly as she turned to walk out of the room.

"Witch!" he yelled, having no other way to retaliate.

Beth walked out of the room with a sigh and made her way down stairs. It was enough distance between her and Cristof and he wasn't going to be moving much any time soon. Grabbing her phone she dialed the one person she'd been in contact with as of late. She never would have imagined having such difficulties with the man in her guestroom.

The phone rang unanswered a few times before it was picked up and she was greeted with "Dunbar speaking."

"Always a kick to hear you so formal." Beth mused, falling back on her living room couch.

"Happens when I don't have time to look at the I.D. display." he chuckled good-naturedly, "How's our patient?"

"Pissing me off." she sighed softly. "He's gone from being amusingly cute to suspiciously stubborn and difficult."

"Well he was bound to notice something was in his system. With the side effects we can't give him enough for him to be subdued and I can't manage anything else at the moment."

"Doesn't help that he's probably throwing most of it up. It's hard to tell if he's doing it himself or if he really can't handle it." Beth mused. "On the other hand he's terrified of needles and that's helpful."

"He probably can't help it." he sighed, "Bad side effects with that brand, but that is helpful."

"Downside, he doesn't want me near his brother anymore. Gave me a real cold look. I was a little afraid he'd start trying to hurt himself if I didn't agree. It's not his normal behavior but I think he'd do it if he thought he was protecting his brother."

"Hm, they're not stable." he agreed to an extent, "Just be careful, I'm going to try to get you something better for him."

"Would definitely appreciate it. I don't know how good an actor he is. I'd say he's pretty sluggish and miserable now but he did get away from Blaren's Psychiatric." Beth sighed. "You're sure this guy is worth all the trouble? He only seems to speak in riddles."

"That just makes me want to talk to him more." he chuckled.

"Be my guest." She scoffed. "I don't know what he's saying half the time, but I'm pretty sure I should be pissed off about it."

"Plenty of them have their insults. It's the fact that he doesn't actually have a disorder that makes it interesting." he mused.

"Hey, you wanna come talk to him. By all means. I could use a break from him. I didn't sign up to be his nanny. He's like a kid. His favorite word is no." She complained.

He laughed, "You didn't spend long enough here."

Beth sighed. "For just that reason."

"I'm sorry Beth." he said, still sounding overly amused, "I will really try to get you something better. Codeine if I have to."

"Perfect. When are you gonna come see the little weirdo? Or are you waiting for something?" Beth sighed.

"I'm waiting for some of the attention to get off his brother, it might bounce back onto you." he mused.

"It's okay. He hasn't mentioned having any more trouble again. Police don't seem so interested anymore." Beth mused. "Guess they didn't find a body so they're not worried."

"Hm." he muttered, "Alright, I'll try to drive down by the end of the week."

"Thank you." She sighed. "I'm telling you, he plays the adorable card good until hell flies into him. I'm gonna have to start locking that door or something just as a little insurance."

"You might have to take more measures than that if he escaped Blaren's Psychiatric."

"Looking like it." She sighed. "It's annoying. I am doing this for you, you know? Only because you're my brother."

"I appreciate it." he agreed simply.

She rubbed her brow slowly. "Why is this kid such a prize? I don't get it."

"Has he...known anything unusual?" he asked after a considerable pause of considering what to tell her, "Something he shouldn't?"

"He's called me a witch a couple times." She chuckled.

"That's more name calling." he said.

She sighed, thinking. "I dunno, he babbles all the time. But..." she paused. "He did very suddenly want me to stay away from Ezra. Called me a snake after a bounty."

"Is that a truth he shouldn't know? Pay attention to the question Beth." he chuckled.

"Bite me, okay. I'm the one that's been babysitting a grown man. He babbles stuff all the time, I'd go crazy too trying to figure out what he was walking about." She said, listening for a moment to make sure Cristof wasn't wandering around.

"Well then you'll never know why he's so special." he explained

"Don't be an ass." She grumbled, rubbing her head. "First one brother, now the other. What's the deal?"

"Like fishing. If you catch a lil one and a big one comes up and eats it, getting caught on the hook, clearly you're going to keep the big one. Ezra is small fry compared to what Cristof can do."

Beth sighed heavily. "I won't even ask again I guess. Ezra did pop up at midnight a couple days ago. Made me nervous as hell. Spent the night with Cristof."

"They know things." he explained. "Some more certainly than others."

"Don't you think that's information I needed. No wonders he's pissed. Jeez, it's like dealing with a whiny over grown child."

"Yes, he may well know what we're doing as well as well as future intentions."

"Well shit." She muttered. "That doesn't worry you?"

"That's what the medications are for." he pointed out, "They numb them to it.

"Can only hope so." Beth said. "I'll keep a closer eye on him then I guess but he's getting too damn snappy with me even doped up."

"Because anti-psychotics work best and all I've been able to get you is an anti-anxiety. It works too we've found, but not so well." he said softly.

"I don't even wanna know what you're doing over there anymore. How are you even gonna work this out? He can't have disappeared from one hospital only to pop up in another." Beth pointed out.

"No but he can be found and we can easily discredit a minor institution like the one he was in." the man said as if it were simple.

Beth laughed softly. "As long as you've thought it out, Whatever. I just need to make sure you think about these things. From a normal point of view and not one of a doctor."

"I have. We have dealt with these kinds of patients before. He wouldn't have gotten out had he been here in the first place." the man sighed.

"So why wasn't he. What if he doesn't exactly have any kind of illness, how can you pull that off?" She asked. "Isn't that kind of crap looked into?"

"Weren't you the one complaining about his babbling and childish behavior? Any board member would look at him and say yup, medicate him. Wouldn't have any idea what he had but they'd know he had something." the man chuckled.

"Whatever you say." she mused. "Just hope they don't pick a day to stop by when he decides to say something normal."

"All patients can have their normal moments, they'd monitor them for more than one moment. Don't worry so much." he mused.

"Fine. You can do all the worrying and hope I don't get arrested in the process."

"You won't, just relax" he promised.

"How very reassuring." she muttered.

"You know I'd take care of you, Beth," he said.

"I know. I'm sorry." she muttered. "Kids got me stressed out."

"I'll get you something soon, I promise. Okay?" he said a bit more softly, "I appreciate you doing this for me."

"I know that. He's probably asleep again now anyway. Don't have anything to worry about." She said.

"Well good, then I should probably get back to work" he mused.

"Yeah, sorry to keep bothering you." She muttered. "I'll talk to you soon..."

"Whenever you need," he said reassuringly, "Bye Beth."

"Bye." she muttered, hanging up. Only hoping this would was going to work they way they needed it too.

* * *

Thank you for reading, thank you all! Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

**Random A/N**- woo, for everyone into my Alice in Wonderland fic, I have been hearing you're requests for a second…sequel one-shot, and I say...hell yeah. I'm working on it. Thanks for still showing the original fic your love (more so on fictionpress then fanfiction, but I digress…) it will be posted soon…I hope. Thanks.

**Sadistprincess-** awe, c'moon, just a little bit of a criminal…lol. You'll have time to judge Adia in good time, but you are…pretty close. I love the guessing. ^_^ and I know it seems frustraing but you gotta think of it from her point of view too. Hard to know what the right thing is. Reasons are not always what they seem, and then other times, they're spot on.

Cristof: I love cake! Ms. Writer, did you hear that. It's been a fortnight since I was offered cake and I enjoy it immensely!

***Blinks***…Cris dear, I think you're channeling Hatter from my Alice story.

Cristof: Reading makes me pretty…

….*chuckles*….not even gonna get into that one…

**Chibi Cherry Blossoms**-one of these days I'm gonna get myself a beta…damn grammar and spelling…it knows it's my enemy…anyway! Thanks for reading! As I've said before, just keep in mind that Cris adores Adia. He'll tell anyone so too. ^_^

**SeasonsReasons-** thanks for the read. Yeah, Ezra definitely isn't someone I would piss off. Most people know better but..eh…we'll see what happens.


	11. Saving him

SAVE CRISTOF!…that was my battle cry…  
enjoy.

* * *

"Pill time, now that you've digested some." Beth said cheerfully, bringing a cup with her as she entered his room.

Cristof didn't move. He was still spread out on the floor, having previously dragged all the pillows and blankets down around him.

"Sit up please." Beth stopped near his feet.

"No." he said, not moving. He was refusing to even open his eyes. "No. No. And no. Did I mention no?"

"Sit up Cristof." she said more firmly.

"You go away." Cristof said, still not using her name.

"Don't be difficult. We agreed remember? Even waited so you could keep the food down," she said, trying to reassure him.

"No." he said simply. "No, no, and no. Only the foolhardy open the door for the reaper. I don't have much choice in the matter. Seems to be a swinging door."

"Sit up and take your pills or I'm going to get a syringe and take care of it myself." she stated simply as if she were discussing a shopping trip.

"No!" he said loudly, his arms raising to cover his face as if he was about to be struck.

"Fine." she frowned slightly, turning to walk out of the room. She was back within moments, with the promised syringe which she was filling with liquid from a small clear vile.

"Witch." he mumbled softly. "Witch's follow me. It's a constant. This isn't what I saw yet unless the seeing is changing. I can't see."

"You're not supposed to see anything but what your eyes translate, it's not natural. That's what the medicine is for." she mused, setting the glass bottle on the dresser and tapping out air bottles from the syringe.

"Says the one being blinded." Cristof continued.

"In the arm it is." she looked at him, "If you struggle, I will tie you down."

"You'd would think someone so blind would be good at listening but I guess in this case they go hand in hand. I should have expected it." he muttered softly as if her words didn't even register.

She knelt at his side, placing the body of the syringe between her teeth as she grabbed his arm and pushed back his sleeve.

"Let go!" Cristof yelled loudly. He wasn't able to move well but he thrashed as much as he was able, too weak to pull his arm from her hold. "No! No more!"

"Hush." she said as she pulled the syringe from between her teeth.

Cristof's eyes stayed on the needle and continued trying to free his arm but he was still far to exhausted. "Not needles!" he yelled. "I don't like needles!"

Beth cringed at the volume of the noise, "Shut up and stop moving before you make me hurt you."

Outside the house, at just about this time, Adia stood at the base of the steps. She debated how she could approach this house. It wasn't like with Ezra where she could have an obvious excuse; this woman might not even know of Cristof let alone have him. She stared indecisively up at the foreboding structure until she heard Cristof's voice. His hollering really. It startled her and then confused her until she shook it off.

She tried the door, which wasn't open before glancing around the dark neighborhood and moving across the porch to a window. It slid open easily, making her chuckle. She didn't want to break anything. Just as she ducked inside she heard him yelling a second time.

'Needles' was all she could pick out but that was enough to make her sprint. She knew him well and she knew he didn't yell for anything. She also knew how terrified he was of needles so she could imagine that would be enough. But this was a highly inappropriate time for him to have to worry about them, which concerned her.

"Let go! Let go! Let go!" Cristof yelled, his voice breaking as he continued. It took time for doctors to coax him into getting an injection and that was only when several others were around to distract him like a child. It was too much for Beth alone.

"Stop moving or I'm really gonna end up hurting you!" Beth huffed, trying to hold his arm still. He might not have been able to pull away but she couldn't get him to stay still enough either. She needed both and to keep him still and that made it hard to actually hold the syringe.

"You are hurting me!" Cristof said loudly. "No more!"

"The fuck do you think you're doing!" Adia nearly yelled as she stood in the doorway.

Beth whipped her head around and glared. "Asks the one who's obviously broken into a house? Who the hell do you think you are?" She held tighter onto Cristof who seemed to be so focused on the needle that he was still oblivious to Adia. "Could very well call the cops."

"Go ahead. And I'm sure all your neighbors will be happy to be witnesses to the screaming that man was doing while you were trying to ILLEAGALLY medicate him." Adia glowered back, "Let him go."

"It's not illegal." Beth bluffed like a professional. "Withdrawal was killing him. I think they'd be more concerned with you! You need to get the hell out."

"Adia?" Cristof muttered, voice horse.

"I can take one look at the way you're trying to hold him and tell you know shit about what you're doing. Let him go and put the fucking needle down or I'll call the cops myself and turn you in. Don't try to bullshit me." Adia scoffed. She wished she could get closer to Cristof but it would be dangerous and stupid with the woman still holding a syringe full of medication she couldn't identify.

"Yeah, explain to the cops that you broke into a house. That'll go over real well." Beth scoffed, pulling Cristof's arm up and making him whimper when she moved the needle closer to his arm. She didn't need him conscious at the moment. It would only cause more trouble.

"Bitch you just don't know when to say when." Adia grabbed the first thing her hand landed on which happened to be a book and threw it hard at the woman, hitting her in the back of the head. She didn't waste time closing the gap between them and grabbing the hand that held the syringe and taking it from her. She squirted the contents onto the carpet glaring at Beth. "Now, wanna try letting go of him like I asked last time?"

Beth glared, standing up slowly. It didn't matter much if she wasn't holding Cristof down; he didn't have the strength to move anyway. "This isn't any of your damn business."

"I just made it my damn business," Adia set her hands on her hips, "Go call the cops, make my freaking day!"

"Eager to go to jail are you?" Beth frowned.

"Adia." Cristof muttered softly, eyes closed as he relaxed in his curled up ball.

"Eager to put you there. I'm from his hospital. I recognized his screaming. Your neighbors will attest to it." Adia stared her down, "My prints may be on that needle but so are yours and they're on the bottle you got that shit out of. This is on you and you know it. So call them. I am begging you."

Beth frowned. "Then you wanna end up like him. Fine by me." She walked towards her. "Not gonna help him now anyway."

"End up like him? You're an idiot. Do you hear the shit you just said? Never mind. I'm taking him, you know that right?" Adia moved toward Cristof finally.

"I don't think so." Beth said, staying between them. "He's not going anywhere."

"Want me to knock your teeth down your throat?" Adia grabbed a fist full of the front of her shirt and shoved her to the side; "I deal with men like him every day without the slightest issue. Men four times his size with one person to help me and you think you're going to be an obstacle?"

"Going to have to be aren't I." Beth glared, getting back to her feet. She wished she had another syringe handy but she'd have to find something else.

Adia ignored her for a moment, looking to Cristof sympathetically. She wanted to leave with him quickly but Beth really would get in her way.

"Well you can try." Adia looked back at her, "But you'll fail. Can you get up Cristof?"

"No." Cristof muttered. "Not leaving when the snake still desires a bounty. Better the bigger bounty when it means less to me."

Beth rolled her eyes at his babbling and focused on Adia. "He's not going anywhere."

"Sweets you're coming with me. I'm not leaving you here. Try to stand for me?" Adia asked him as she glanced around the room.

"I can't." Cristof said softly. "The smaller bounty means more to me."

"See? He doesn't wanna go, but you should." Beth stared.

"We'll work on that later sweets, work on this first. C'mon, I can't leave you like this and I don't wanna be lookin` at this witch for any longer than I gotta. Just try for me." Adia reasoned, grinning slightly when her eyes landed on a particular hole in the knobs on the closet doors. They weren't the most sophisticated locks but they'd hold till she could brace something against the door.

Cristof smiled widely. "Yes. Witch." he said as if they were the only part her heard.

"Yeah." Adia chuckled, "So up you go right?"

"Adia." Cristof sighed softly, taking his time to push himself up on wobbly arms.

"It's a waste of time. He's not going anywhere." Beth said again.

Adia looked to Cristof and her heart practically stung. "Lay back, I'll get you in a second." she said softly, "Need to put her on the damn receiving end of whatever that was doing to you. See how she feels."

"I can do it." Cristof said, voice barely over a whisper as he tried to pull himself up at least to his knees.

"You just cause him more pain." Beth pointed out.

"I.. You did that to him!" Adia said, outraged. Grabbing her ruthlessly by her hair this time, she dragged the woman across the distance to the closet before opening the door and shoving her inside. It wasn't exactly a roomy fit and she fell back over boxes that were on the floor, narrowly missing the metal clothing bar with her head as she tugged a few garments down with her. "Better pull in your legs." Adia snapped in warning before slamming the door closed, disregarding the thud and cry of pain that said Beth hadn't had time to do so and it likely collided wit her knee or worse, her shin.

Adia snatched down the key that was clearly visible on the top ledge of the doorframe and locked the closet promptly. It was meant to keep out nosey guests and children but it worked well for Adia's purpose too. She decided on a classic to block the door, the dresser, taking a few moments to maneuver it into place. When she finally stopped and sighed, ignoring the hollering Beth was doing, she looked promptly to Cristof.

He had managed to sit himself up properly but he almost looked winded from the effort. "Adia always comes when I'm ill." he mused weakly.

"I'm awesome like that." Adia offered him a smile. She walked over, taking the opportunity to kneel next to him and touch the side of his head, "Ding dong...the witch is dead, or, almost."

"Witch. Reaper. Liar. Seducer. Snake." Cristof rambled off quickly. "Bounty hunter that doesn't know the things I know."

Adia chuckled, "I missed you, you know."

"I missed Adia." he said softly, smiling weakly.

"C'mon you. Arm over my shoulders." she moved so she was beside him.

"I need shoes..." he muttered. "Cold?"

"Oh. Damn, you're right. Shoes, and cloths and a coat and gloves." Adia stood quickly, "Where are they?"

He pulled the blanket back to peek under the bed and pull out shoes. "There's gray, gray, gray bag in the bathroom with cloths I can wear. Coat was down stairs."

"Gray, gray, gray, got ya." she said quickly, hurrying out, calling back as she went, "Tooth brush?"

"Bag. Everything's back in the bag. House not mine. Bag is mine. Bag is a gift. Mine." Cristof said, taking his time putting his shoes on with shaking hands.

"Okay." was her response. She reappeared with the large duffel bag slung over her shoulders; "We'll get your coat when we're down stairs"

"Okay." he mumbled, still fumbling with his laces. He was nearly glaring at his tired, shaking fingers.

"Let me." she said softly, crouching down near his feet so she could reach them.

His breathing was shallow and he could have easily had a fever. "I'm sorry, Adia."

"Why are you sorry, she is insane and not in a good way." Adia said, frowning slightly as she tied his shoes quickly.

He wiped at the tears threatening to fall down his face. "I don't feel good."

"I know sweetie," she said softly, looking up at him once she'd finished and reaching to cup her hand against his cheek, "I know, I don't know what she was giving you but I'll make sure you're okay, okay?"

Cristof reached out for her slowly, pressing his forehead into her shoulder as he nodded. It had been a long time since he had wanted contact with someone. He didn't like Beth to touch him and he hadn't seen Ezra in days.

Adia slid closer, wrapping her arms around him as she sighed quietly. It was a horrible situation she had to figure out how to deal with and more and more she was distrusting Erickson. In that moment, hugging Cristof, she spared a thought to wonder if he was actually safe at the hospital with a man who was willing to let a drug addict go just to get him back.

"Come on sweets, you can rest in the car. I don't think its safe for us to stay here, she's not screaming anymore," Adia said softly.

He reached up and touched her face lightly, lightly because he taught himself to be gentle so others wouldn't be intimidated. "People keep secretes from Adia and expect things in return. The bounty on my life. She," he pointed to the closet, "And doctors aren't so different."

"I'm not sure what all of that means but, I think were starting to agree on that last bit." she smiled softly.

"Help up?" he asked, giving her a very child like look.

"Certainly was my plan." she smiled softly, pulling away from the hug to move beside him, "Arm over my shoulders."

He did as he was told, doing his best to help her by pushing himself up. "Okay."

It was a bit of a struggle but Adia lifted him to his feet then paused so they both could catch their breath.

"Rooms shouldn't move on their own." Cristof said as if it were a new observation. It took some time but the two of them finally got into a rhythm to get through the house.

Adia had to lean him on the back of the sofa to get and put on his coat and then they were gone. She settled him in the passenger seat of her jeep, reclining the seat enough for him to be able to rest, and started the half-hour drive back to her house.

* * *

Thanks for reading!

**Sadistprincess**- Yeah, words for Beth can get pretty colorful, but my opinion tends to side with Cris' opinion. You'll see. A little more on Adia revealed here but I love your guessing, I hope you continue with it. ^_^

Cristof: Ms. Writer. The voices seems to be getting married. Are we invited.

….dunno Cris, I'll have to walk to Hatter and Chessie.

**Na'viWolf-** thanks for reading ^_^


	12. Explaining why

Safe? For now, maybe.  
Cristof speaks!  
Enjoy.

* * *

It was easier for Adia getting Cristof into her house than it was getting him out of the other. Whether it was because she didn't bother with the duffel bag this time or because he had obviously missed a dose she didn't care, she was only relieved he was walking a little better even if he was still staggering.

"I'm sorry it's messy, I'm not much of a clean freak." Adia apologized as she set him down on the couch after having shoved a magazine and a few remote controls off.

"Soft and warm." he muttered, curling up into the couch instantly. He'd managed to kick his shoes off and almost looked at peace for the moment. "But I still don't feel good."

"I imagine you don't. How 'bout we get that coat off and get you a blanket so you'll be really comfy?" she offered.

He almost looked like he needed to think about it before he nodded. "Okay." Slowly he pushed himself up and continued to struggle with his coat.

"The hell did she do to you." Adia sighed, leaning in to help get it off him. Once she held his coat she grabbed one of the pillows from the side of the couch they were supposed to be on it and laid it next to him for him to use.

"Thank you." he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "She was a witch. Secretes she had, but my head hurt too much to see them. I need Ezra."

"Ezra gave you to her." Adia frowned hard as she went to hang up his coat. It was the conclusion she had come to and it disgusted her. The brother that supposedly loved him, did that to him.

"Ezra doesn't know she wasn't safe." Cristof whispered. "Witch. Reaper. Seducer. Ezra doesn't know."

"Sweets, how do you know that? I know you want to trust him because he's your brother but…" she paused and sighed again, "People just aren't good sometimes. Sometimes they're mean."

"Adia likes the snow." Cristof said instead. "It brings good memories of a long time ago and make Adia forget old pains, new pains and self inflicted pains. But Adia is Adia. Things happen. Ezra is Ezra."

"And sometimes we misjudge people, sweets." she said softly, "Now I'm going to get you a blanket."

Cristof waited, slowly tipping over to he laid out comfortable on the couch. "Silly Adia." he said softly.

She grabbed one of her extra comforters from the closet and returned to the living room. She laid it across him gently before moving to sit on the floor in front of him. "How bout we just work on getting you better first?"

"I don't want her to get Ezra." he muttered, curling up in the blanket. "I'm the big brother. I should be the one protecting Ezra, not the other way around."

"Why would she want to get Ezra'? Ezra's not ill." Adia reasoned.

"Am I ill Adia?" he asked, whispering like it was a secrete. "Not what they think. What Adia thinks. Does Adia think I'm ill?"

"I don't know what you are sweets. I just know you're not what they're saying you are," She said softly.

"Exactly!" Cristof beamed, looking oddly proud of her. It wasn't an expression she was used to from him. "And either is Ezra."

"No one has ever said Ezra was anything though, sweets." Adia pointed out.

He sighed. "You have to listen, Adia. She'll hurt Ezra. My Ezra."

"I am listening. I'm just not understanding why." Adia said softly.

Cristof stared at her, leaning a little closer with his head still relaxed on a pillow. "Ezra is in danger. I know this, and they know I know. They _know_ I _know_."

"Why is he in danger Cristof?" Adia reached up, stroking her hand along his hair. "Why? I need to know more."

"Why am I in danger?" he said softly. "They want Ezra for the same reason they want me. My bounty is bigger."

"I don't know why you're in danger Cristof. I just know its not normal for a person to want a patient back badly enough they'd be willing to hide illegal things for it. I know people trade you watching there back when they watch yours and I know I can't play into it when there's another person involved, let alone you."

"Adia is also in danger." Cristof muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. "Must also keep Adia safe."

"Why do you think you and your brother are in danger?" Adia asked patiently, continuing to stroke his hair since that seemed to bring him comfort.

"Because we are." He murmured. "I tired to leave it behind but I have no one but Ezra. I brought him trouble and I'm so sorry. But it was good. Ezra was in trouble. Ezra just doesn't know it yet. The witch was after Ezra."

"Because isn't an answer silly head." Adia teased softly.

"I don't want Adia going back there. It's not safe." he said softly. "Don't let them use Adia."

"Back where? To the hospital? I have to, I need to work" Adia shook her head. "It's my job to go there."

"Don't work for people who blackmail other people, Adia. It's not good and leads to harder assignments." Cristof said softly. "They don't care for Adia's welfare and I'm frightened for Adia."

"I know they don't care but money...talks." she said, pausing to stare at him, "I never said anything about blackmailing sweets, where did you get that?"

"I know things. I've always known things." Cristof said softly. "Ezra is in danger."

"How do you know things?" Adia raised an eyebrow.

"I was born that way." he said before getting slightly distracted. "I like this blanket. It's warm. Should thank your aunt for getting it for you."

Adia stared at him, blinking at him for a long few moments. Her eyes shifted to the comforter, which she reached out to touch, "How...?"

He held a finger up to his lips. "Clairsentience and Psychometry. I know all sorts of things. I worried for Adia."

She sat back and stared at him, "My God."

"I don't wanna talk to doctor's anymore. I don't want them mad at me when I don't wanna talk anymore. I won't do it. No more. No. I have other things to do. I have to keep Ezra safe." Cristof said, his eyes sliding closed.

"That's why they want you..." Adia said quietly.

"Yep. That's why they all want me. Only Ezra loves me." Cristof muttered.

She reached out to touch his cheek; "I am so sorry Cristof. I promise you, you are safe here. I promise."

"For now." he murmured. "But Ezra isn't. The witch has been after Ezra for a while, but I was a bigger bounty."

"Ezra knows things too?" Adia asked, realization dawning.

Cristof nodded, almost uneasy about talking about his brother's gifts. He didn't want to cause problems for his little brother.

"So you actually know he didn't put you in that position on purpose." she said softly, "Lord this isn't a good situation."

"Yes." Cristof nodded. "Ezra knows but it's not clear. Ezra knows there is danger but Ezra doesn't know where it's coming from." He smiled a little. "The first night she drugged me Ezra showed up at midnight to spend the night with me. Ezra knew something was wrong even if Ezra didn't know why. I can't let her hurt Ezra."

"So then…we'll try." she sighed, "I'll think of something."

He tilted his head a little. "You met Ezra."

"He wants to call the cops on me." Adia laughed then, for a moment forgetting she was worried and being amused at the memory, "I invited myself into his house to look around while I was looking for you. He was a little peeved."

"A lot peeved." Cristof sighed. "Ezra might be more worried about Adia then _her_. Dummy. I told Ezra that Adia is good."

"You're a sweetie." she smiled softly.

He gave her a worried look. "Ezra needs to stay away from her. Ezra might not know that till later and it'll be to late."

"I will think of something." she repeated, "It'll be okay."

He relaxed and nodded. "I hope so. I'm a lot easier to hold then Ezra is."

"Yeah well you need to learn to be more violent sometimes. Sometimes its appropriate." Adia mused.

"I don't like to be violent." Cristof muttered, taking the statement very seriously.

"Donno if anyone really...likes it, sometimes it's just justifying." Adia shrugged.

"See, when normal people say something is justified, it's harder for people like to me understand. When someone like me thinks something is justified, well, everyone around just has a worried look. They're not on the same levels because I supposedly can not comprehend things as well as most. Doctors preach a lot, you know. Blah, blah. Talk, talk." Cristof muttered. "Someone like me can't ever be right, right, but knowing things is soo important. So important that they'll come after me just to know what I know. Hypocrites and dummies."

"Well you know I don't mean any harm. I figure you'll understand the way you will." she mused, reaching to stroke her hair.

"They'll hurt Ezra cause I'm not there anymore." he said softly.

"No they won't. And I won't say it again. I'll figure something out." Adia shook her head.

"Adia will try, but Adia doesn't really know what Adia is doing. The doctors are curious about me and curious about why Adia is taking so long. Why Adia has not either found something or been arrested. Cynical, yep." He nodded a little. "Adia didn't even know about me, what things could Adia find to fix this mess."

"Sweetheart, just because you can see bits and pieces about the future doesn't mean you can see who I am or what I am capable of. Fuck Erickson and whoever else is involved cuz they haven't got a thing on me in the crafty department. I've survived through tough shit sweets, don't underestimate me, I'll get offended."

He reached out to touch her face. "I know Adia very well. I know about Adia's...issues. No matter. I love Adia. Adia is good to me. I know the things in the past that hurt and I'm sorry. Bit this is a new playing field."

"And I'll deal with it. Have faith." Adia rubbed her hand against his arm.

"All right." he said, making it seem simple enough. "But it doesn't make me feel at ease."

"Well I never said I could work miracles" Adia smiled lightly.

He nodded. "Mm. I don't feel good Adia. Something's on the tip of my tongue and I can't reach it. It's just out of reach."

"It'll get better." Adia promised, "I know how you feel sweets. Just give it time, okay? I don't think you were on those medications long enough to have withdrawal but if you do I can get you through those too."

"I'm used to withdrawal." Cristof muttered. "Part of being me."

"Don't have to lie to me sweets. I know how hard they are." Adia smiled, "Happens to be the only reason they've got something on me."

"I only meant that they raised and lowered my dosage all the time when I was bad." he said, burrowing deeper into the couch. "Rough, yep. Ezra was mad when I said so."

"Very, poor thing." Adia muttered.

"It's nicer compared to the bigger facilities." Cristof chuckled. "Silly, but I don't feel good. I think I might throw up again."

"Well if you give me heads up, I'll get a bucket." Adia promised.

"Thank you, Adia." Cristof muttered. "Thank you for coming to get me."

"You're welcome sweets." she reached out to touch his head once more.

He looked up at her, his childlike expression back in place. "I don't like needles."

"I know." she smiled at him, "I'm not much of a fan myself. I know I'll take one if it's what I can get so don't call me a liar, but I'm not a fan."

Cristof nodded. "When I was little and had to get them, Ezra would come with me. I don't like getting them anymore though. It hurts."

"I know. No needles here I promise." she promised.

"Oh, I know." he smiled a little. "Adia doesn't lie to me."

"No I don't. Many people I'd lie to but I have no reason to lie to you. You're too sweet."

"Is sweetness reason enough? Or is it just that you get tired of keeping up with what you have to tell certain people?"

"Its sweetness." she chuckled, "Feel special because I do what I gotta."

"I'm always special." He yawned. "It's why I was where I was and did what I did and go where I gotta and get stuck when I can't get away."

"Well you're safe now, at least for now." Adia mused, smiling at his babbling. If she had to repeat everything over and over again to reassure him then she was already prepared to do that.

"Now and not later?" He muttered.

"I have no idea sweets, I'm still working on later. But I'm going to do my very best to make it now _and_ later." Adia smiled softly.

"Kay." Cristof said softly. "That's good. Better then anyone else could give me. Cept Ezra. Ezra said that Ezra would protect me."

"Then he is a very good brother."

"Yes." Cristof smiled with a yawn. "Ezra likes to pretend Ezra is older, and it's okay with me. Makes Ezra happy."

Adia chuckled, "I always wanted a brother, side note for you."

"That's nice to know." he murmured quietly. "I'll be your brother."

Adia laughed "You're a sweetie."

"So you've said." he said, yawning again, eyes sliding closed. "I meant it though."

"I appreciate it." she said as she watched him, wondering when he'd drift off. He already looked exhausted.

"Cause Adia is an important." he rambled on blearily.

"Well at least someone thinks so." she chuckled.

"I do." he mumbled, faced pressed into the couch's pillow. "Night Adia."

"Good night sweets. I'll put a bowl here in case you need it." Adia said, standing up slowly, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Mhm." he muttered quietly, already drifting off.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Woo, little more about Cris revealed!

**Sadistprincess**-Hello! I think by now it's getting pretty clear what kind of woman Adia is. Cristof does like her after all. ^_^ Ezra still has a lot to learn but that's Ezra's problem isn't it? The basic gist to Cristof's powers have been revealed her. Defined they are **Clairsentience-** refering to a psychic's ability to pick up sensations and relate messages from those sensations. Having a general knowledge of what 'is' and **Psychometry**- Psychic sense of touch. A Psychometrist will obtain intuitive impressions and information by holding or otherwise connecting with an object or person. I don't pretend to be an expert on the matter but it's a fiction…people can use their imaginations.

Cristof: I can not marry before Ezra. Sorry voice that I seem to be hearing.

**Sarah-** hey, thanks for reading and taking the time to review. To be honest, I never thought I'd get into writing something like this either so we're even. XD

**Bluebird. tm**- Thank you for reading AND reviewing! I really appreciate it. I'd glad you continued to read, I know it can take a while to build up into the drama. I'm glad you like Cris. I think he's one of my top 5 characters I've ever written for. It's great when people like him, and Beth, yeah, not everyone saw that coming. Including myself at first. You were practically spot on in guessing Cristof's abilities. YOU GET A COOKIE! This isn't so much based on a fairy tale as much as it is…a bit of a pun because Cristof loves Fairy Tales. ^_^


	13. Quivering lies

And for an update. Woo!

* * *

Beth huffed quietly to herself, still stuffed in a closet with her legs aching and the back of her head throbbing. Not to mention her fists hurt from the senseless banging she had done. That bit was her own fault. She never would have guessed the girl would have been quick enough to shove her back into the closet and lock her in.

With her cell phone in her lap she waited to be rescued. At the very least it gave her time to work on her sob story.

It was about a half an hour after she'd placed her frantic call to Ezra and twenty since the woman and Cristof had left that there was noise again in the house. Moments later, her name was being called from the hall.

"Where are you Beth?" Ezra asked loudly as he moved through the house.

"Ezra." She banged on the door again, doing her best to look as hurt and pathetic. She'd milk her imprisonment to the best of her ability. "Ezra!"

"Where? Oh Jesus." He commented, clearly in realization of the actual situation. A few seconds later she could hear the dresser shifting followed by his voice again, "Sit tight, okay?"

"All I can do." she said weakly, leaning back against the back wall.

After the movement stopped the handle jiggled and he cursed, "Why does your closet have a lock on it? There's no key, I'm gonna take the hinges off."

She cursed softly. "They all have the same lock. There should be one in my room. On the door's ledge."

"Alright." he said. The door was opened in a matter of seconds to his relief more than hers. "Are you alright?"

"I'll know once I can see." she muttered, knowing her legs were probably bruised from being jammed in by the door. Shakily, she pulled herself up.

Ezra tentatively leaned in to help her, putting an arm around her to support her. "What happened exactly? You were talking too fast for me on the phone."

"I don't know." she muttered, leaning on him. "This chick just broke into the house and took Cris away. I dunno what she did to him."

"Chick? Did he know her?" Ezra sighed.

"Yeah. I don't remember what he said her name was but he knew her." She sat down on the bed and rolled up her jeans to look at her bruised shins. "I'm so sorry Ezra."

"Her name was Adia and it's not your fault. Might as well have broken into my house and nearly stole my cell from on me. I think that's how she found you, must be...I thought she was looking for my parents but I knew that didn't make sense. If she knew Cris as well as she'd have had to for him to say her name, she'd have to know he doesn't like them." he mused, crouching down to inspect her legs.

"Can't imagine why he likes her. After what she did." Beth said, holding her legs out for him to see.

"He doesn't like saints, just people who're good to him. Crazy as she is I guess she at least thinks she's looking out for him." Ezra muttered, "You'll be ok I think."

Beth pointed to the syringe left forgotten on the floor. "He was terrified. Yelling about needles."

Ezra stared at it for a long moment until she was afraid he'd gone into some odd shock, then finally he said, "He's terrified of them. They were torturing him with them because they knew he was terrified."

He leaned forward until his head was in her lap, "I promised him I'd keep him safe. What the hell am I going to do?"

She ran her hands down his shoulders, squeezing them softly. "I don't know, Ezra. I don't know where she would have taken him." she paused. "You know, my brother is a psychiatrist. Maybe I could call him."

"We don't need a psychiatrist. He's not crazy. We need a detective or a hit man." Ezra muttered.

"No, but if his hospital was treating him badly, then they should be reported." Beth said.

"And I shouldn't know that. Besides I have no proof other than the words of a man they see as crazy but I know Cris. They'll never know him and he's not crazy, too damn honest is what he is." Ezra sat back.

"I wish I could help you." Beth muttered, "Maybe they haven't gotten far."

"Maybe." Ezra nodded, "Don't feel bad alright, if that woman could move that dresser, I really hope you didn't try to fight her."

She blushed prettily. "I found that out the hard way."

"Are you hurt besides your legs?" he asked softly, "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gotten you involved."

Beth shook her head. "I'm alright. More startled then anything else. Don't feel bad about it."

"I do." he sighed, "You're too sweet sometimes."

"You worry about Cristof, not me. Kay?" She smiled, leaning closer to kiss him lightly. "Poor thing is probably so scared."

"I think I'll manage both." he said, standing up long enough to take a seat next to her.

After a short silence, she turned to look at him again. "You think she'll take him back to that hospital?"

"I don't know…we'll find out soon I suppose." he said quietly.

"Should I be worried?" she asked. "I mean she did break into my house but I was keeping him."

"I don't think they'll admit to having taken him from someone." he shook his head, "Might say she found him somewhere or something. They don't want to be caught doing something illegal enough to get us in trouble."

"Good to know." Beth mused. "They were really looking for him. That's odd don't you think? No police or anything just a nurse."

"Yes, which is why if he is in that hospital I'm going to get him out." He muttered.

Beth gave him a surprised look. "How would you manage that?"

"Don't know, I'm a do as I go kind of guy." Ezra muttered, "Usually works though."

"I would say so." she tried to smile for his benefit. "I am sorry I couldn't watch him better. Who knows where she's taken him now. What she's doing."

"I don't even want to think about it. I have to find him." Ezra rubbed his face, "I promised him he'd be safe and I failed."

"You' didn't fail Ezra." she said softly. "You couldn't have prevented this."

"Yeah." Ezra muttered, looking out the window and thinking how he should be able to.

"Not like you can foresee this stuff Ezra. It just happened. Cris will be fine. Boy seems like he's the surviving type no matter the situation." She said, rubbing his shoulder.

"He is, but sooner or later, I'm just afraid he's going to snap and _really_ go crazy." Ezra muttered.

Beth nodded understandingly. "Why don't you stay here tonight. Relax a bit."

He hesitated for moment and even he wasn't sure why. He nodded finally, commenting "I feel like I should be looking for him though."

"How?" she asked. "Knock on doors? Drive around aimlessly? Go to the hospital and see if he's there?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm not doing it." Ezra smiled weakly.

She ran her fingers through his hair, trying to remain supportive. "Hungry then?"

"Hm? No, not really" He muttered before a thought even entered his mind, "A beer would be great if you have any."

"Yep." She said, rubbing his shoulder again and getting up a little wobbly. "C'mon, you don't need to sit in here."

Ezra stood, wrapping his arm around her to support her as they walked.

"Thanks." she muttered softly, knowing her legs didn't nearly as bad as she was going to milk it.

"No thanks necessary." He pressed a kiss to her hairline.

"I'll be the judge of that." she smiled up at him. "I'll get your beer okay? And we'll think of a way to help Cris."

"Thank you." He said softly. He couldn't manage a smile or swallow the restless feeling in his bones, but he leaned down to kiss her and hoped that would suffice.

She returned the kiss happily for a moment before shifting to lean on the kitchen table. "He'll be fine."

"My lord, I hope so." Ezra said softly.

"Don't stress, hon." Beth said softly, moving over to fridge. "Don't think your bro would like you stressing."

"Course he wouldn't. We argued over that all the time." Ezra smiled weakly.

"He's older then you right?" She asked, getting his beer and opening it before handing it to him. "Was that hard growing up?"

"Surprisingly no, would have been hell growing up in my house without him." Ezra mused.

Beth raised an eye, probably not understanding why. "Oh." she sad simply. "Wouldn't have guessed."

"Our parents...never really wanted children. They liked the idea of children and then it was— oooh, they move? They cry? Damn...where can we put them? Cris stayed little forever though, they loved him until they realized it wasn't normal and then they were horrified."

Beth made a face. "Yeah he's childlike but it's cute. Nothing weird about it. Just kinda innocent."

"It's not normal for a 13 year old to be like that. Absolutely unacceptable. He can actually act normal sometimes but the fact that that was his usual personality started to scare them." Ezra elaborated.

"It should only have scared them if he was moody or violent or something." Beth muttered. "Even when he confronted with the needle earlier it's like being violent didn't even occur to him."

"He was never violent. They're just uptight and conservative. Having a son with something wrong with him made them lock us up instead of sending us away and honestly, I was happier that way. Me and Cris together instead of stuck with strangers."

She sat down at the table. "When did that change? Just get older and decide to move? Or after they sent him to the hospital."

"I grew up and moved and then they decided they were tired of taking care of him I guess." he sighed.

Beth made a noise. "All he needs is someone to help him cook. He might not be seriously independent but he's not a baby."

"I know." Ezra sipped his beer finally, "Shoulda taken him with me."

"You couldn't have moved out and supported both of you that fast. Would be too much for you." Beth said, trying to comfort him.

"Yeah...but we wouldn't be in this mess." he muttered.

"Yeah, but can you see yourself happy that way? Don't you think you'd have resented him a little bit?" she asked softly, aware of the sensitive topic.

"No. It probably sounds stupid but I really don't think I would." he shrugged.

"Okay." Beth said softly, letting that particular subject drop. "Hope they're at least in doors."

"That I can't think about or I'll be in my car driving around until I can't see straight." Ezra commented.

"I'm sure he's fine." she said quickly. "They wanted him back bad enough to break into my house. They wouldn't hurt him."

Ezra nodded "I just have a bad feeling that's all."

"Well, unless you know someone at his hospital that would give you some info, I don't think you'll find any comfort tonight." Beth muttered.

"I know." he nodded.

"You look like you could use a nap." she muttered.

"Or just an early night." He offered her a smile, "Don't think I'll be up for much tonight but what do you say?"

She nodded. "You need the rest, hon. Sides, you like sharing my room."

"I can't argue with that and I wouldn't try." he chuckled, holding his arm out to her "Come on."

She kissed his forehead and smiled. "Okay. Good sleep is what you need now."

"And company." he agreed, leading her back to her room.

"Mhm." Beth mumbled. "Everything will be better tomorrow."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

**6kimiko6-** I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I like giving character's interesting names. It's a trait that follows most of my stories. Cris is an odd one, but most enjoy him ^_^

**SeasonsReasons-** YES you finally know what Cris can do, now if only Ezra knew…

**Silverbolts**- right? Isn't he adorable. He's my favorite.


	14. Finding him

This week's update! Woot!  
Be about two weeks before I update again, sorry.  
Vacation calls.  
Enjoy.

* * *

After a truly restless night, Ezra eased himself out of Beth's hold while there still wasn't a hint of sunlight. Near four-thirty that morning. He knew she'd probably be upset but he needed to do something and the only thing he could think of might upset her more. He needed to pay a visit to a woman with whom he had a history.

He was at the town house before five and ringing the doorbell. He didn't care that she'd be pissed because he had the perfect excuse. The perfect reason to wake her up at such an insane hour.

The door opened a few seconds later, almost surprising him with the punctuality. "Ezra." She managed a smile for him. He hadn't talked to Lily Matthews much since they stopped seeing each other and that smile might not have been the best of signs. "Had a feeling I'd be seeing you."

"Why am I not surprised." he muttered, "Can I come in?"

"Yep. " She nodded, standing aside for him to come in. She hugged her robe around her to keep the cold out and shut the door once he passed.

"You never react normal." he pointed out.

"And you still expect me to." she said, moving to sit on her couch.

"Sometimes." he muttered, following her.

"And we both know this isn't a social call." Lily said, hugging a large pillow to her chest. "So please continue."

"No, I need help." He said more quietly, knowing he could communicate with her using only a few words.

She stared at him with a frown. "Cris?"

He nodded, "I need to know if he's safe."

Lily leaned back, hugging the pillow closer. "He's...content." she said after a considerable pause. "I couldn't call it safe. But he's relaxed, and worried over you."

"Idiot. She drugged him, he's reacting okay to that?" Ezra asked before adding quickly, "Can you tell that?"

"I can tell when he's aware of it. But what I'm feeling is more like his withdrawal pains. He's happy to be where he is." Lily said, rubbing the back of her head tiredly. "With a woman, I think. She's a safe place for him."

"How can she be safe." Ezra muttered, "He's never been this wrong about someone before. I don't understand."

Lily shot him a look. "I don't know about that. Cris listens to the world too closely to be wrong. Can you say the same?"

"No." Ezra muttered. "But Beth was there. Its not like there's anything to guess at."

She was quiet for a moment before a deeper frown set in. "Did Cris ever use her name?"

"He wasn't around her very long." Ezra shook his head, "You know him. Some things take a while."

"He called her a name, it just wasn't her given name." Lily muttered, leaning back to look up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, he calls her 'her' and 'you'." he shrugged, "Which he did to you for a month."

"He called her a name, not a pronoun." Lily sighed. "But he sensitive to your feelings. As always. He never did it around you."

"I don't know what you're talking about now." Ezra said, mimicking her sigh.

"Witch." she said simply. "He was terrified before and not so much now."

"That's...not possible. He wouldn't have agreed to stay with her." Ezra raised an eyebrow.

Lily shrugged. "Well he did. He did and he was scared but he's used to being scared. Now someone he trusts took him away and is for the moment, keeping him in a relaxing place. Not safe exactly, but nowhere is really safe, is it?"

"You're twisting shit again, aren't you?" he said in an accusing tone.

"I'm psychic Ezra. I say it how I see it. I don't turn a blind eye to what I see. If its not about Cris then you ignore it." Lily said in a rush before sighing her stress away. "He thinks of your 'current girl' as a witch."

"And you've twisted shit before, many times in fact, when women were involved. Didn't say you made it up, I said you twisted it." Ezra crossed his arms.

"You take it how you want." Lily said instead. "When was the last time you saw Cris? Middle of the night wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Ezra sighed.

"And how was he?" she pressed.

"He was fine, tired because it was the middle of the damn night but fine."

"Cristof. Who hates sleep. The Cristof I know would have jumped up, thrilled to see his little brother. Not fallen asleep on him." Lily frowned. "Didn't that seem odd to you?"

"No. Even he crashes after days of not sleeping." Ezra said.

"Why did you go over there in the middle of the night?" she asked tiredly.

"I got a feeling." he shrugged, "It wasn't even accurate."

"It wasn't accurate or you brushed it off as nothing." Lily accused him now. "You always do that! Even with as many times as your senses have helped you and saved you. You leave it as you find it. You don't dig deep you don't even scratch the surface. He needed you and you ignored it."

"I did not ignore anything!" he snapped, "I went, I looked into it and there was nothing wrong. You have no fucking idea what it's like to have impressions. You see shit clear as day and you think it's as easy for everyone. It's not Lily. It's harder for most of us especially when sometimes I _am_ wrong. Sometimes my dreams are just _dreams._ Sometimes I'm just having an anxious fucking day and I misinterpret that. It happens Lily and I can't jump the gun and accuse people of murder just because I have a bad feeling that may or may not mean something. Get off my ass."

"You came to me." She snapped back. "So you'll listen to what I have to say or kiss your chances of finding Cris goodbye."

"How about you just tell me how to find him and keep him safe?"

"Keeping him safe is something I'm gonna need to think about for a while." she admitted after a pause. "I could find him if I needed to. Also might take a while. But frankly, you're in no fit state to do that."

"Excuse me?" Ezra frowned hard.

Lily shook her head. "The woman he's with is good to him. You're new chick is not. I'm not gonna let you go get him just to start the cycle over."

"You have lost your damn mind. He is my brother, I wouldn't put him in a bad situation and I at least deserve to hear this from him if its true because you've already proven I can't trust you." Ezra glowered.

"You're so ready to think he's the one that's wrong. He terrified for you, Ezra. He'd brave whatever she put him through if it meant keeping you safe." Lily murmured.

"And if he says that then I'll kill her, but until then I have no intention of believing you." Ezra said.

"So you'll just go back and continued feeding her information about not only yourself but your brother? Thought you were smarter then that." she said.

"I haven't told her shit, stop being a bitch. I want to find my brother, damn it." Ezra snapped again frustratedly.

"And I'm gonna need more time. Cris doesn't know where he is. He doesn't care." Lily said. "Don't cop an attitude with me. I'm trying to keep you from being sold to the highest bidder like your brother. You're only making matters worse for yourself."

"You underestimate my ability to not be overcome by a woman. Sold to the highest bidder. I'm not weak or stupid enough for that. I have an attitude with you because I don't trust you and you make it worse by refusing to help me find by brother until I breakup with my not even girlfriend. I want my brother back." Ezra said, barley biting back his anger.

"Gonna hit you, Ezra. How dare you think I would keep Cris in danger to spite you. I'm not telling you how to find him yet because I'm still working that out. This isn't about us." Lily glared. "And your girlfriend is a bitch who doesn't even know why she was assigned to woo you. I wasn't gonna be mean enough to say it like that, but you're pissing me off. You don't wanna believe me? I don't give a shit. But don't come crying to me when you get a needle to the ass to drug you up."

"A needle comes at me someone's getting a fist in the face, you know I don't play that." Ezra sighed, "I'd be too ticked off to be upset. You said yourself he's not 'safe' safe."

Lily nodded slowly, curling up on the couch. "Not safe but also not immediately threatened. This woman...she's fuzzy, but she's keeping him a secrete."

"Alright." he muttered.

"I'm working in it." She said softly, understanding his pain. "I know you and I have a thing but Cris isn't the one that's gonna pay for that."

"I hoped you'd see it that way." Ezra muttered

"And I trust you might consider this a safe house for you. I don't imaged you talked about your strange ex to your current girlfriends." she said. "Just keep in mind you both would be safe here and I could see things coming if that were to change."

"I'll be fine but.. Cris could use someone." he nodded

"You could use someone too, babe." she sighed. "But I know I'm not that person for you."

"It's not about it not being you, it's about me being okay. I can take care of myself that's all." he said more softly.

"Ezra, I'll be the first to tell you that you're a lot more independent then Cris or even me. Cris has so many abilities that well...I'd be surprised if he was normal. I don't mean to say you can't take care of yourself, I just mean that everyone needs help sometimes." Lily said softly.

"Which is what brings me here. This is what I can't do and I'll own up to it if I can't do something." he muttered.

She nodded slowly. "Sometimes things gotta get worse before they get better, Ezra." she said, saying almost exactly what Cristof had before.

"Why? We shortcut it out all the time." he pointed out.

"Sometimes to get the desired results you need to go through some shit." she shrugged.

"He's been through enough." Ezra ran his hand through his hair.

Lily nodded, agreeing with that. "He knew that at least some of this would happen. I don't know why he really decided to go through it all."

"I'm going to yell at him." Ezra mused.

"Probably." She nodded. "He's still worrying for you now. Something's scaring him for you. I won't comment on it again."

"Yeah." Ezra sighed, "I should go. Just in case she _isn't_ the devil incarnate. Kinda snuck out."

"Have it your way." Lily muttered before looking up at him. "Be careful."

"Always am." he stood, "Thank you for trying. Good to know he's safe at least. Call me if you find out something please?"

"Course." she said softly, watching sadly as he walked out.

Cristof sat on the floor as he ate the lunch Adia had made him. She'd worked a morning shift so she'd been back in time to cook for him. The withdrawal pains were bearable and he was able to eat again. It still didn't keep him from worrying over his little brother but at the moment, no one but Adia knew where he was.

Besides that, the stay with Adia was better than he'd felt in years. She made him food that went down easy and didn't hurt even the first day. She seemed to like company as much as he did so he didn't have to worry about being alone and she even peaked in on him occasionally at night like she used to at the hospital. The times she found him awake she would even sit with him. Adia made him feel at home, something he hadn't had since he was little.

"Dishes done and the rest of the house can wait." She mused as she came into the room with a plate of her own.

"Your house is nice. I like it a lot." Cristof said, looking out the window rather then the TV he had muted.

"You must have a slob for a brother." she laughed, sitting in the recliner next to him. The room was small so everything was positioned close together, he liked that about it too.

He shrugged, neither denying or confirming it. "I like cozy."

"Well I guess it is that at least." she smiled, taking a bite of her sandwich as she noted his distant expression, "You can go out when you're feeling better. Best time to catch pneumonia is when you're already weak from withdrawal. I've done it."

Cristof turned to smile at her. "Yes. I know. I will wait for Ezra anyway. It's still too cold and he's worried enough."

"If you want." she nodded.

He nodded. "Yes. I will wait. It's better that way. Plus, I do not want Adia put out with any trouble. I bring trouble."

"You're fine. Really Cris." Adia said softly.

"No lying Adia. No lying. They are impatient and rude. Adia's work is no fun lately. Grumpy doctors and groggy patients." Cristof said, sipping from his drink.

"Work isn't supposed to be fun. Otherwise it'd be called play." she smiled.

"But Adia liked worked and now not so much." Cristof pouted a little. "Not so much cause of them."

"And it's worth it because you're safe. Okay? I can handle worse things especially for a good reason like this, So no stress." Adia said.

"Adia is nice to me." Cristof mused. "I missed Adia when time passes without a visit. But now I miss Ezra. It's been a while since I got to see Ezra. Worried now."

"I know sweets." Adia said, her voice softer as she watched him sympathetically.

"But Ezra is okay still." Cristof told her with a small smile. "But I dunno for how long. Time is a funny thing."

"I'm sure he can take care of himself." Adia said.

"The spiders hide before they strike. Ezra's vulnerable." Cristof said.

"Well I think your brother is smart and fit and he'll be perfectly fine." Adia tried to sooth. "You shouldn't worry."

"Yes. Maybe." He paused. "Lily?"

"..huh?" Adia stared at him.

He smiled brightly, setting his cup down and clapping once. "Lily is looking for me. That's nice. I'm fine, Lily."

"How do you know that?" Adia raised an eyebrow.

"Cause I do." He said simply. "Now I know and now Lily knows I know. That's nice. Lily wants to make sure I'm okay. Kind. Yes, kind. Thank you, Lily."

"And who is Lily?" Adia asked slowly.

"Lily used to be friendly with Ezra. Not so much anymore but still a little bit. Lily is very kind and Lily's like me but not so much." Cristof explained.

"She's like you or she likes you?" Adia asked.

"Like me." he repeated. "But not so much. Not so strong, not so crazy."

"Oh…You're not crazy, don't say that." Adia mused, catching on to what he was talking about "So she's looking for you?"

"Uh huh. Ezra's worried. Worried enough to talk to Lily." Cristof laughed a little. "That's very good I think."

"Well then he can feel better now, knowing you're safe and taken care of." Adia commented, "Right?"

"No. Ezra is stubborn, and doesn't know who to trust."

"You know things right? So is he going to get hurt or isn't he?" She asked, drawing her legs closer to her. She grabbed the remote to turn the TV off since neither one of them were watching it.

Cristof shook his head. "I don't know what will happen, I do not have foresight. I only know the possibility and what has happened. I know what's already put into motion."

"And one of the possibilities is him getting hurt." she guessed.

"Yes," He nodded simply.

"So another must be him being fine right?" she offered.

"I suppose so." He said, "But one is as likely as the other."

"But which do you have more faith in?" she asked

"Which do I have more fear in. Ezra is my little brother and the only little brother I will ever have. There are times where I let Ezra pretend to be older but this can not be one of those times. I have to keep Ezra safe." Cristof muttered, leaning against the coffee table.

"I understand that but look at it in perspective of which is actually more likely. It would be hard, near impossible for them to capture him in your situation. People would readily stand against it. He is too obviously normal. And he would fight it as anyone who didn't hate violence would." She shrugged.

"She drugs food, drinks..." Cristof paused. "Ezra would get away easily but I'm afraid Ezra won't have the chance. Ezra doesn't know not to trust her. All of the distrust is directed at Adia."

"Even after finding out you're safe with me? Is he stupid..." she muttered

"Lily and Ezra had a thing. Ezra can't bring himself to trust her fully anymore now." Cristof smiled.

"He's stupid." Adia sighed.

"Wary." Cristof said instead.

"Same thing." she smiled lightly.

He frowned. "Don't poke fun at my Ezra. Ezra doesn't know any better."

"Well how else am I going to get you off the topic? You're just going to depress yourself and there's nothing we can do right now. I'll let you know when I think of something that won't get me arrested okay?" Adia muttered.

"Okay." he said. "I'll ask Lily to keep and eye on Ezra. Lily will know."

"You should, so long as it'll make you feel better." Adia nodded.

He nodded. "Maybe so, but that could result in her bringing Ezra here."

"That's fine too. I'm not trying to keep you from him just...out of danger and all that." Adia shrugged slightly.

Cristof seemed to think that over before nodding, a smile curving at his lips. "Kay."

* * *

Thanks for reading.

**Na'viWolf-** There's a simple explanation for that. Cris doesn't like phones…he's afraid of the waves. Lol. But at least Ezra has gotten a warning, right?

**Nan**- he doesn't really need to be saved yet…lol..give it time.


	15. Learning truth

Woo update.  
What we're all been waiting for.  
Enjoy.

* * *

Ezra had spent much of his time with Beth since Cristof's disappearance but it didn't help his worrying any. The one time Lily had called him Beth was in the room and it couldn't have gotten more awkward. He couldn't help but think Lily planned it that way.

Beth stood at the stove, still calmly trying to comfort him over his brothers disappearance. "I might see my brother this weekend." She commented. "In case you stop by and I'm not around or something. He said he'd come up to meet me."

"That's nice. I feel like I'm getting annoying anyway." Ezra mused as he watched her move around, "Wish you'd let me help."

"You just wanna keep busy." she chuckled. "You need a minute to yourself to chill."

"I don't wanna." he whined playfully, resting his head on his palm. It wasn't a bad thing to need a distraction.

Beth turned to him and raised an eye. "Oh, why not? You better not be thinking of turning into a handful for me. I have enough to deal with."

"Too much time to think, that's all." He smiled.

"Thinking might not be all bad." she pointed out, taking her time to set the table for the two of them.

"I don't like to think so much." he shrugged, trying not to seem as bothered as he was. "I know how that sounds but right now really isn't the best time for over thinking."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "You're fine. It's why you're talking so much."

"I feel annoying." He chuckled.

"Lil bit but it's damn cute." Beth smiled, wandering around the kitchen, cleaning as she finished cooking and prepared their plates.

"You just called me annoying, that's so mean." he laughed.

Beth smiled. "You'll deal with it just fine." It took her a few minutes but she finally set down a plate in front of him. "We'll watch a movie or something." she mused, walking back over to her pantry.

"Fiine" he said jokingly before picking up his fork and taking a bite. It tasted good enough, needed salt in his opinion but good. Just as he was going to swallow, though, he felt the strongest urge to vomit overcome him. He snatched his napkin off the table, spitting the food into it and miraculously the feeling disappeared. It was not like anything he'd experienced before but he knew a warning when he felt one and it was clear as day. He sat for a moment, staring at the plate. Stunned.

"I'm gonna need to go shopping." Beth commented from the pantry before coming back out. "You want rolls or something too?"

"Nah, I think I'm alright." he said quickly, unable to take his eyes off the plate for a long moment, trying to decide what exactly he should do. Finally he asked, simply to see her reaction, "Did you put fennel or anise or something in this?"

"Ouch, complaining? That how you tell a girl you don't like her cooking." Beth said, wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Just not my favorite flavor. No offense." He commented.

She nodded slowly, wiping her hands off still. "Can make you something else. You've eaten it before though. Dunno why you're being so picky."

"Its not the dish, just some seasoning you used. You did something different." He said. "What's in it?"

Beth gave a half shrug, turning away from him and moving back towards the kitchen counter. "It's the same as before Ezra. Same spices, same seasonings."

"So you're calling me crazy." he finally looked at her, unable to keep the disgust off his face, "Am I just making it up?"

"Making what up?" she sighed softly, one hand clenched at her side. "If you don't like it, fine."

"Obviously if I've eaten it before and I don't like it now, there's something different in it. Unless I'm loosing my mind. Am I loosing my mind Beth?" He asked sarcastically.

"What's your problem?" Beth asked, hands on her hips. He knew her well enough to know it wasn't her real stature for when she was angry. She was tense and wasn't moving closer to him.

He remained silent for a moment as he stood, taking the plate into his hands and closing some of the distance between them. "Why did your food just almost make me throw up Beth?"

There was a malicious vibe to him now that wanted to scare her and make her realize that he was more a predator than prey, especially to her. That the abilities he had were his and would only bring her nightmares to pursue.

"You realize you're making a big deal about not liking dinner, Ezra." She frowned at him though she didn't miss his aggressive tone. "What's your problem? I'm sorry if you don't like it. Make something yourself."

"Eat some yourself then if there's nothing wrong with it." he held the plate out so it was uncomfortably near her face. "Unfortunately you don't have reflexes like I do so because it tastes fine, you'd swallow whatever shit is in there without knowing if, that is, if you hadn't been the one that put it in there."

"What the hell are you talking about Ezra?" She glared. "Why would I put something in the food?" She asked, reaching the grab the plate, as soon as she had a hold of it, it slipped from her fingers and the plate shattered on the floor. "Shit!"

"Yeah, that's a terrible excuse you know, you're a bad actress. Maybe you can pull it off with someone who doesn't pay much attention but even he caught on, huh?" He raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

Beth huffed, leaning down to pick up the larger pieces of the plate and trying not to make a bigger mess. "What the fuck are you talking about now?"

"Alright, fine. YOU DRUGGED MY FOOD, BITCH!" He yelled, voice nearly echoing around her house. "You don't go near my brother again, I don't fucking care if your a woman, I will hire someone to fuck you up if I have to."

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him, "Just because I don't taste it, doesn't mean I won't know its there. If I have to I will find the rest and force it down your throat. Okay?"

She tensed, trying to glare at him but the look he had almost had her cowering. In that moment it was like he was Cristof's opposite. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"You know I do. You can't talk me down. Admit it or you're getting the needle you were trying to force on my brother." He gave her jaw a shove so she fell on her backside.

She hit with a thud and made no move to get up right away. "I told you that wasn't me, Ezra! Was that chick that took him!"

"You stupid bitch." he chuckled, "Just don't know when to give up. You lost. So shut the fuck up. I get to yell. You get to feel bad if you even have that capability or just keep your mouth shut if you don't."

Inhaling sharply she opted to stay quiet. She stared up at him with a slight glare. Losing Cristof had been the bigger mistake. She lost her leverage with them both that day. She could deny all she wanted but Ezra wouldn't listen now.

"I think they're in...the sea salt container but that's ground up. Where are the pills" He mused, looking around. His abilities were never so clear as when he was furious.

"You're babbling worse then your brother." she stared.

"No one can take on Cris in an incoherence contest." he chuckled, walking out of the room and into the laundry room. He pulled a small box off the shelf and a Christmas tree bulb out of the box. He turned back to her and gave it a small shake. There was a dull knocking inside saying it was almost full with something small. He pulled the hook out while he walked back toward her and turned it upside down, shaking out the pill at her feet. "Now if that isn't odd."

Beth frowned hard, already knowing she was beyond screwed. "You don't get it, Ezra. You let your love for him blind you."

"No, you don't get it. We are not your toys. We are not weaker than you. My ex sees intentions clear as day. Imagine being three steps ahead of everyone...always. Now, what I see, is less in the present and more in the future. Like this. I found it because I saw myself finding it where it was. Now Cristof. He's amazing. He has a blend of abilities and potentials I don't even know the depth of. I just get to see glimpses. But what I'm trying to say is, if I pulled all my resources, hell I could probably have you killed. You and your brother. He's going to call soon and ask how it went. He's not happy with you. He thinks you're useless and pathetic."

She actually flinched. None of this was her business. She didn't care what they could do or who had them. The only reason she agreed to do anything at all was because her brother asked her. Her last few weeks had been near hell, caring for Cristof like he was a kid, and now. This wasn't much better. "Then leave."

"Hit a nerve, huh? He didn't say that bit to you. He said that to himself after you hung up. Threw his pen and said hollered 'useless'. And that sound you hear in the background, that's not a patient, that's a dog. He's home," he turned around, turning his back to her, "Just doesn't want to talk to you."

"You can leave now." Beth said again, voice uneasily calm. "I can only hope your brother dead somewhere for the trouble you've both cause me."

"Oh he's alive and well. Don't know where she put him but I know he loved Adia, definitely no fear there, and where ever she dropped him off he's happy." He replied, deciding against being honest about him being with Adia in case she could find the woman.

Beth made a disbelieving sound. "They'll catch him Ezra. You know they will. Catch him and go right back to experimenting on him."

"You seem to not realize what I'm capable of when I'm determined." Ezra shrugged, "That's okay. You're not important. At least Cris can relax now and not worry about me so much."

She tensed, still sitting on her kitchen floor. "Just go."

"Have a nice life." he said, taking the still half full ornament with him as he left.

It didn't matter what Beth did anymore. He sat in his car outside her house in silence for a long few minutes fuming silently before deciding what to do. He called Lily.

"Hello Ezra." she answered on the first ring. "Am I back in your good favor?"

"Like you don't know what just happened." He sighed.

"I was never very good at 'I told you so's'." she said with a small hint of humor. It was better to keep things light then to start a fight.

"Sure you were." He chuckled softly, "I scared the shit out of her I hope."

"More or less." Lily agreed. "Why are you still there. Go home."

"Because you shouldn't drive while talking on a cell phone." he chuckled, "I could have pulled over down the street."

There was a short silence before he heard her laugh softly. "Alright, Ezra. Alright. You're spiking. I can feel it. That usually only happens so strong when your dreaming."

"Yep, or pissed as all hell." He sighed.

"Relax. Got some good news." Lily said

"Yeah? You find Cris?" He asked.

"Found might be a little bit of a stretch." She started. "But he's aware I'm looking for him. He's reached out a few times. He's happy and feeling better. And of course, worrying about you."

"Idiot." he muttered, "Well maybe we can have him find out where he is?"

"I get that he's with Adia. Probably at her home but I can't seem to find an address." Lily mused. "He doesn't know any of that. 'Cozy.' I can't type cozy into my GPS."

"He knows how to ask her for her address." he chuckled.

Lily hummed in amusement. "And he misses you badly but he's not sure how you'll react to her. Might change his mind now but he's uneasy."

"I'm sure, we weren't on the best of terms last time I saw her."

"He doesn't want you angry with him." She said softly. "It's a very childlike feeling from him. He doesn't want you mad."

"He's an idiot." Ezra sighed.

"You be nice." She said and he could tell she was smiling. "He misses you and he's scared for you and it makes him close himself off a little. Lucky he likes this woman he's with."

"Yeah. Well I miss him too." Ezra muttered.

"Where are you headed?" she asked, pretending she didn't know.

"I have no idea." He sighed.

"Come see me." She said after a moment. "Not out of your way."

"Sure that's a good idea?" He asked.

"I know how to be civil." she mused.

He chuckled, "Alright sure. Maybe I can get some food outta you."

Lilly sighed contently, a step ahead of him as always. It was good to know she could still predict a few of his habits. "Yeah. I ordered pizza."

"Awesome, my favorite. Lazy cooking." He teased, "I'll be there soon."

"The pizza will be waiting." she said, still laughing softly. "And so will I."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

**Na'viWolf**- Ezra and be hard headed. That's for sure. He's doing his best though and an angry Ezra can be scary. Lol. Thanks for reading.

**Mmary**- Thank you so much, thanks for reviewing.

**Silverbolts**-At least they know where Cristof is now, right? Ezra is coming around.


	16. Feeling better

Thank you all for reading!  
This week's update.  
Little filler for you.

* * *

"Morning you" Adia greeted as Cristof wondered his way into the kitchen. It was more like early noon but she was cooking breakfast so the term suited her fine. She was making pancakes and bacon, the smell of which woke him.

"Adia's house smells really yummy." Cristof nearly purred from happiness. "Like when Gina would stay with me and Ezra sometimes when we were little."

"Well I'm glad you think so. You want one from the stack or the one in the pan?" She smiled, gesturing to the stack of four pancakes already done.

"Stack! Stack! Stack!" He chanted with a smile. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Do you want all or did you want the stack" she laughed, "Because I don't think you can eat that much.

He paused. "I don't think I can either. I'll start with one I think." He smiled a little for her.

"One it is, and bacon?" She asked, pulling a plate off the counter and setting one pancake on it.

"Please, please, please." He smiled brightly. "I think my stomach actually wants food again."

"Well that's good." she chuckled, laying a few pieces of bacon next to it, "Too thin anyway. Syrup's in the cabinet and forks are in drawer next to the sink"

"I've always been like this." Cristof muttered, getting a fork out of the drawer. "Guess its normal for me. Skinny isn't bad."

"You're cute." she smiled, holding the plate out to him.

"Thank you." he smiled, taking the plate from her. "It's nice to hear that from someone who means it."

"You go sit and take it easy sweets." she said softly, "I'm coming too."

She dumped the pancake that had been cooking onto the remaining plate before turning off the stove and setting the pan aside. She got some bacon and a fork herself before taking a seat next to him at her tiny table.

"Hi Lily." Cristof mused after taking his first bite. "Yummy pancakes."

"Lily? Oh." Adia muttered, nodding to herself "Talking to your friend again, hm?"

"Lily checks up on me when I wake up." Cristof nodded and clapped once. "And Ezra isn't being a dummy anymore. That's good. I don't like having to worry about Ezra."

"How do you mean?" Adia asked

Cristof paused for a moment, eating another bite. "The witch tried to drug Ezra."

"Eh, he catch her or what?" Adia asked

He nodded and an oddly amused smile crossed his lips before he laughed quietly. "Yes. Ezra was angry."

"Well good, shoulda broken her nose." Adia muttered before taking a bite of her pancake.

"She's scared and considering scarier things. She might move. Might overdose. It's in the air right now. Something has her upset." Cristof said. "But Ezra is fine again."

"She deserves it." Adia shrugged.

"She was a witch. A bad one. She was stupid and used. I feel bad about that." He said, taking another bite.

"I don't, you're only as stupid as you let yourself be." Adia shook her head.

He shrugged. "Some can't help but be manipulated. Nope. They can't." Cristof mused. "I've seen it many times before."

"And I don't feel bad for them. I am fully aware of all of my actions, why I do them and their potential outcomes. I know when I'm being manipulated and I let it happen only when it's potentially the best option." she mimicked his shrug.

Cristof leaned closer to her to pat her hand. "Not everyone can say the same. I feel badly for those who don't know any better."

She shrugged again, "I just can't."

"I wouldn't expect so. Adia has thorns she can't get rid of." Cristof said softly, pausing as he ate to watch her closely.

"I don't think it's a thorn that I don't pity stupid people." she nearly pouted.

He poked her side. "Thorns in the side creates ripples of other emotions. Ripples that don't just go away when you pretend not to think about them."

"If you say so Cristof." she chuckled, swatting at his hand.

He laughed softly. "Life is full of thorns you know. But thorns can be good."

"Well good since according to you I got them." she smiled.

"Yes. Adia has thorns but most people do. It only depends on how buried they are. Some are in the open for all to see and others are forgotten over time. But that's okay. I have thorns too Adia. Thorns can be good." Cristof said, pushing his plate away since he was finished with it.

"Someday you gotta tell me your story since you know mine already." she smiled softly.

"My story is unimportant. All I ever needed was Ezra." Cristof smiled and paused for a moment as if his mind took a turn on it's own.

"Just because it's unimportant to you doesn't make it unimportant to everyone." She pointed out, sounding like him in that moment.

"Maybe so." he frowned a little. "I wasn't very much wanted after a certain point. The only one who every wanted me and loved me unconditionally was Ezra. I love Ezra too. Since the day Ezra was born. Where are we?" he said, changing subjects abruptly.

"What do you mean?" she chuckled, used to keeping up with him. "We're at my house."

"Uh huh, where is your house?" he asked, looking at her. "I dunno where we are, and I think I should know that."

"East side. Northcreek Drive. More than twenty minutes from the hospital if that's what you're worried over." she replied.

"Lily was wondering. She knows I am safe but Lily's still a little worried over me. I miss Lily too." Cristof said.

"So what now they're going to show up at my door?" Adia raised an eyebrow.

Cristof shrugged. "I dunno." He paused again. "Probably."

"Fine." Adia sighed "But it better not be in the middle of the night."

"Lily's got more sense then that." Cristof smiled. "Don't be grumpy please. I don't want Adia put out if they decide to come."

"I won't be so long as they don't bring me trouble."

He pouted at her. "Adia is already expecting trouble. Don't frown. I worked real hard sometimes to make sure Adia doesn't frown."

"If there's no trouble I won't be upset." she pointed out.

Cristof reached out to touch her face. "I know Adia means that but Adia still isn't overly thrilled with the idea. No. Not thrilled."

"It's not fair for you to know so much, you know." she smiled lightly, trying to end the conversation there so they wouldn't get into it.

"I don't say things to make Adia upset. I'd keep them to myself and normally do. I tell Adia now because Adia knows my secrets. I want Adia happy. Adia is nervous." Cristof muttered. "Nervous or something close to nervous."

"He's gonna take you sweets. And its his right but...I'm worried its not safe for you there." she admitted, "Plus I'm gonna miss you."

"I will always miss Adia. But I'm not safe here nor there. Not really. Not yet." Cristof mused.

"Well then they need to figure out how to make you safe." She muttered.

"They're working on it. I know that." he tapped his head a few times. "But those kinda of things are hard to work out."

"Yeah, I know, I've been trying too." Adia shrugged, Maybe you are safer with him, I already told them you weren't there so...who knows?"

"It's hard not to get wrapped up in lies." Cristof mused. "I'm not so frightened at the moment."

"Well good. Makes one of us." She smiled lightly as she looked off toward the window. All she really wanted to hear was good news.

Across town was a similar conversation, only with two very different people. "I promise Ezra. He's fine. Happy, fine and able to eat again." Lily mused, curled up in her couch.

"That's great but you said it yourself, he's not really safe there. I just want my brother back." he muttered.

"I know that. I'm working with him. I got a location but we need to go about this carefully. Taking him from a place that might not be safe is not good if you don't have a safe place to bring him." Lily said slowly, making sure he would listen.

"But we do. You said he'd be safe here with you." He pointed out.

Lily nodded "Yes, that's true. But that's as of right now. Someone could still see him and it only takes one person to change everything."

"So we'll be careful." he mused hopefully.

"Yes. Very careful." Lily said. "I know you're anxious. I am too. I just don't want one tiny mistake to take away our progress."

"Yeah." He sighed, slouching back in the couch beside her. He'd do anything to get his brother back into a safe environment he could thrive in.

"We're gonna do this." Lily promised. "He misses you and looks forward to seeing you."

"Least she's not really crazy I guess." He muttered.

"She was worried about him too." she said softly. "She's not to much worried about you but she cares for Cris."

He nodded, "Makes sense now."

She paused, not wanting to pry. There were times she could read Ezra like a book and other times that book turned into something she didn't want to touch. "I can't tell if you're thinking hard or not."

"Course I am. She has my brother." he stared at her as if it was a stupid thing to ask.

"I know she does Ezra. She's not exactly my favorite person in the world but she's keeping Cris safe. As safe as she is able." Lily said, trying hard not to seem as if she were arguing. They'd had enough of that.

"Well there has to be something better...something legal that'll make him safe period." he sighed.

"He's not crazy." Lily muttered. "I don't see why they won't release him to you. You take care of him."

"Because my parents put him in the care of a facility." he shrugged.

"And?" She frowned. "Allow them to diagnose him with something, which they can't, or release him to us. To you."

"I need to talk to my parents and a lawyer." He sighed.

"Yes you do sweetie." Lily sighed softly. "Cris is eccentric and a little innocent but there is nothing wrong with him. He's nuts because he's a genius. He can't handle everything he knows."

"I know that, it's just hard to explain to normal people." He muttered.

"We'll think of something. Cris is worth a little bit of a head ache." Lily said. "Your parents should be happy to have him out of there I would think."

"They don't care that much. They put him there." he shook his head.

"So what would they care if he's with you instead?" she asked. "I know it's a bad subject but if they don't care then it should be what's best for him."

"I don't think they'd object, they know I've always been good with him, I just need their support." he explained.

Lily nodded. "Maybe we just need a proper incentive."

"Shouldn't be too hard, I'm sure they wouldn't want the scandal of their son going to prison." he smiled.

She smiled faintly. "They're idiots, the two of them. Cris wants to come home."

"And I want him home." Ezra sighed tiredly again, "Glad I still come first."

"Home is where Ezra is." she teased a little.

"Ezra is home." Ezra smiled to himself.

"Yep. So as far as I can see it, nothings gonna stop us. Cris knows this. He's a tiny bit amused I gotta say." Lily smiled. "He's giddy to see you."

Ezra chuckled, "You're just saying stuff to make me feel better."

"When have I ever done that?" she laughed loudly. "You're the one who seems to think I'm out to get you. Now I'm trying to make you feel better?"

"Plenty of times." he shook his head.

She waved the comment off, ignoring it. "I don't believe you." her lips curved into a large smile. It was good they'd reached an understanding point.

"That's my line." he pointed out.

"Maybe so." her smile grew. "But I'm too adorable to argue with. You should just stop while you're ahead."

"More like I'm too lazy to deal with you." he chuckled.

She nodded. "There is that but it doesn't sound terribly poetic, does it? I'm looking for a bit of class."

"I'm incredibly poetic." he mused, grinning wide. "When I want to be that is. It comes and it goes."

Lily smiled. "Yes, I remember just how poetic you can be."

"I hear that sarcasm," he pointed a finger at her, "Shut up."

She smiled. "A bit of sarcasm, but it's still a bit true. I'm not worried about hurting your feelings, you can handle it."

Ezra shook his head, still smiling. "You know.. I don't feel like driving."

"I could ask why but you're probably think I was still picking on you." Lily chuckled.

"Because its cold outside and I'm tired." he shrugged.

"Five minutes ago you were ready to get jail time to get to Cris." she pointed out. "Now you're cold and tired. Are you getting old or something?"

"Cris is good motivation." he nodded, "A bed, not so much."

Lily nodded and sighed softly. "Whenever you want to see him. I know where he is."

"Now?" he asked.

"I walked right into that..." A smile spread quickly.

He chuckled, "Just a little. Tomorrow then."

"You sleep." She nodded smiling faintly. "We'll go when you get up tomorrow. I dunno this girls schedule but Cris will be there regardless."

"Good." He mused.

She leaned back, watching him. "You're back to being yourself. It's good. I was starting to miss you."

He smiled softly, "Yeah, that woman was getting to me more than I noticed. Tomorrow we go see him and figure this out."

Lily smiled wide. "He'll be expecting us."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

**NaviWerewolf**- Hell yeah. Don't mess with Ezra XD

**Nan**- Ezra has finally come to his senses, yes. Now Cris can relax.

Please review ^_^


	17. Making plans

YES!  
Coming to a close and a happy ending.  
One more to go.  
Awesome.  
Thanks for reading.

* * *

Cristof wasn't usually hard to figure out but just when he'd get a normal routine; he'd change something about it. Today, he followed Adia around like a lost puppy instead of staring out the window longingly like he normally did.

"I gotta go to work sweets." Adia said as she stood in the bathroom with a flat iron.

"But I don't want you too." he pouted, looking childlike.

"It wouldn't look good if I suddenly started taking days off, sweets." she said softly, "If you're worried about something tell me but otherwise I have to go."

"Go in late." he said instead.

"They'd notice that too I'm sad to say." She smiled at him.

"Why? You could have had an errand." Cristof said, watching her closely. He was ready to argue at all angles.

"I could have, but I'd have told them that last night." she pointed out. "Unless there was something more urgent and the more urgent the easier to be excused."

"I hid your keys." he sang happily, walking away from the bathroom door finally.

"That's not a good excuse since you shouldn't be here. C'mon sweets." she set down the iron and unplugged it before following him.

"Uh uh." he shook his head, walking into the living room. "Hid them. Gone forever, or until I want them."

"Cris." she grabbed his hand, stopping him before moving to stand in front of him "You're gonna get me in trouble. Please go get my keys.

"I've already gotten Adia into trouble." he tilted his head slightly as if trying to understand the difference between that and this.

"That I can manage. This will give them more ammo against me okay? So keys please." she said softly.

He pouted. "But I want Adia here when I go."

"Go.." she repeated, "Where are...your brother. Great."

Cristof smiled brightly, clearly excited. "No worries for Adia. Lily is driving. Lily had the directions, not Ezra."

"I'm not worried about Ezra knowing where I live sweets." she reached up to stroke his cheek gently before walking back toward the bathroom. "I worry about you."

"Adia shouldn't worry about me either. Ezra takes care of me. Ezra worries enough for everyone who should worry and doesn't." Cristof smiled though something about it was sad.

"Alright sweets. But get my keys would you. I don't need you leaving me stranded here." she mused.

Cris pulled the keys out of his pocket and dangled them in front of her. "Kay."

She chuckled, taking them out of his hand before shoving them in her pocket. "I should have guess that one."

"I think I won that game." He smiled wide. "It won't be long. You won't be very late."

"Just tell them I forgot to set my alarm." she shrugged.

He clapped happily for a moment before grinning at her. "Yes. Good. Very good! Bad alarm! Thank you Adia."

"You know, I like that you're easy to please." She smiled lightly as she looked back into the mirror to put on a bit of mascara.

"Why couldn't I be?" he asked. "It was a win, win. win."

"You should be, makes life nice." she chuckled.

He nodded, watching her still. "Are you upset that I'm leaving, Adia?"

"Course I am, sweets." She set her things down and leaned on the counter to look at him. "I'll miss you."

Cristof actually looked startled and stared off at the floor for a few minutes. "I'm sorry."

"Why? That's my problem. Its not your fault or anything." she said quickly, "I can know your safe all I want but I won't be there to make sure and plus, you're fun to be around. The hospital's different and it's going to be creepy quiet around here now. I'll get over it though. You need to do what's good for you."

"But I don't want you to go back there at all, Adia. It's not good there and not for Adia at all. Stay." Cristof mumbled.

"I need a job sweets. Until I get another, I'm stuck there." She explained.

"Okay." Cristof said, not looking the least bit concerned. "We get Adia new job."

"I'm working on it, that I can promise you that." she smiled lightly. "I don't exactly like being there much anymore."

Cristof smiled at her. "I'm working on it too."

"Are you now?" she chuckled.

"Yes." he said determinedly but it was hard for her to take it seriously. He had a child like view of being able to do anything.

"You're silly. I'm really am going to miss you." she chuckled.

"No you won't." he laughed softly before perking up like a small child expecting guests. "Car door! Car door!"

"Go unlock the door and open it but stay inside okay?" she smiled.

"Okay!" He said, running off instantly. He did as he was told and went back into the living room to wait excitedly. He had missed his brother more then even he had thought.

Ezra and Lily were making their way up the walk and let them selves in when they saw the door crack open in front of them. Ezra felt as though he'd been holding his breath up until that moment and seeing his brother made him sigh with relief. He walked into the house and into the living room without so much as a hello and wrapped his arms instantly around Cris.

"Ezra." Cristof muttered, clinging tightly to his brother for the first few seconds before loosening his grip into a normal hug.

"See, the world didn't end with me not speeding." Lily smiled a little.

"Lord, don't ever do that crap again Cris." Ezra sighed, ignoring Lily's comment.

"But I told you. I told you." Cristof was almost pouting. "It had to get worse before it got better, or it wouldn't have worked out the way I wanted."

"No. It didn't. You could have told me she was a crazy bitch and I'd have taken you back. Which is what I'm doing now." Ezra finally loosened his hold. Lily smiled; shaking her head as she moved passed them, further into the room.

"But I tired and I couldn't." Cristof mumbled. "I was sick."

"Yeah...I know. I'm so sorry. I should have noticed. " Ezra said softly, obviously feeling guilty over that night.

"Well its done and dealt with now. He's fine." Adia said.

"All better." Cristof smiled wide, still clinging to his brother. A part of him was afraid they'd be apart for that long again.

"Over with now." Lily agreed with a smile before turning to Adia. "I'm Lily, nice to meet you Adia."

"Nice to see the voice in his head." Adia chuckled.

"I guess.." Ezra muttered, keeping an arm around Cristof.

"It's okay now." Cristof muttered. "I have thoughts."

"Many." Lily muttered, a smile curving her lips.

"What about?" Ezra asked.

"About what?" Cristof smiled at his brother. "About where to go and where's the best place and where's the worst place and who needs to know and who should be informed and who doesn't need to know and who will know regardless of the fact that I don't want them too and then the ones I don't care if they know."

"Many thoughts." Lily repeated. "Wow, my head hurts."

"Why don't we head home and then you can share these thoughts with us." Ezra mused, impressed with himself for keeping up with Cristof's babbling.

"Cause Adia needs to know too and I hate, hate, really hate having to repeat everything." Cristof said.

"Only a little late, huh." Adia smirked lightly at him before chuckling. "Why don't you guys sit. There's still some coffee if you guys want some."

"Thank you." Lily smiled. "C'mon Ezra, we don't have to rush."

Cristof paused. "I am staying with Lily then. I've missed you Lily." he said, still hanging on Ezra's arm. He didn't have it in him to let go.

"I missed you too Cris." Lily laughed softly.

"Until we figure out something else." Ezra agreed, "But you said you had some ideas so, let's hear them."

Cristof inhaled slowly as he sat, thinking over how he wanted to start. "I am naïve."

Lily burst into a quiet fit of giggles and waited for him to continue.

"If you say so." Ezra chuckled, sitting next to him.

"But I gotta be sometimes or my head would explode everywhere. But other then that there's isn't too much wrong with me, or so I've been told. I don't have an actual problem I just know to much at one time." He paused and nodded. "So I should go home. Cept not that home cause I'm not wanted there. I should go places where I'm wanted."

"He's thinking along your train of thought Ezra." Lily smiled. "He's checking himself out of the hospital."

"Cept he cant because he's in involuntary care. His doctors or a court would have to give the okay." Adia said softly.

"Yep, and the doctors won't. At least my doctor's won't. Take it to the court, get a new doctor. I get myself checked out." Cristof smiled. "But I'm still not actually dependent enough to be on my own. A state approved nurse is what I want. I want Adia."

"That job..." Adia chuckled "I have the training for that."

"We'd have to get our parents to agree that I could have custody of you then take it to court that you be alright with just a nurse." Ezra rubbed the back of his neck, "I suppose that would work."

"It will. I can be very persuasive." Cristof smiled sweetly.

"Cristof." Lily scolded but a small smile was still on her lips. "You be nice to your parents."

Ezra chuckled, "Maybe I should handle them.."

Cristof pouted. "I wasn't gonna do anything."

"Liar." Lilly smiled. "But I guess it's good you have a back up plan. I'm actually a little amused by that."

"Yeah, I have to go to work though. Call me when you work out the details." Adia mused. "There's a spare key in the kitchen drawer. Lock the door on the way out would you?"

Cristof pulled out they key from his pocket and smiled. "Kay."

Adia stared at him, laughing lightly, "Stop trying to upstage me."

"Well Adia does leave me to my own devices when at work." He laughed. "I found games to play on my own."

"See, you're gonna turn into a troublemaker like your brother." Lily teased, giving Ezra the accusing look he deserved.

"He is a trouble maker." Adia leaned down to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

Cristof grinned. "Only a little bit."

"And a liar." She chuckled, standing up and going to get her shoes

He gasped, a heart broken look crossing his face that wasn't as nearly effective as his real heart broken look. "Ow. Words hurt."

Lily laughed softly, biting her lip a little to keep from commenting.

"Love ya sweets." Adia smiled. Ezra sat back to observe the two, it wasn't as hard seeing them together, to understand his obsession with her. She might not have been his favorite person but she treated his brother well and he could appreciate that.

"Are you sure you gotta go to work? Really really sure?" Cristof asked in one more small attempt to get her to stay.

"Yes sweets. Just a day." Adia smiled softly, shrugging on her coat.

"We won't hang around too long." Lily commented when Cristof just continued to pout for not getting his way.

"That's fine. Just call if you need something." She smiled.

"We'll try to make it work." Ezra said, "Best idea so far."

"I am very clever." Cristof said with a straight face that only lasted a second or two before his laughter started.

"Very Clever" Ezra chuckled.

"I'll see you soon sweets," Adia said to Cristof.

He waved to her, sobering a little as he realized she was leaving now. "Bye bye, Adia." He said, watching her walk out.

"So." Ezra mused when she finally closed the front door with a wave to Cris, "Gotta call mom now, I guess."

Cristof almost winced. "I'm sorry about that Ezra."

"Don't be. You're back, this I can handle." Ezra mused.

"Yeah but I'm a far cry from dealing with them. They don't get me." Cristof muttered. "And they don't get you for getting me."

"That's okay though." he shrugged, "That's my job."

"Yeah but they think I'm weird." he muttered with a sigh. "Ah well. I think it'll work. I get to see you and Adia and no more doctors with needles."

"I took care of you the whole time I lived there. They damn well better agree." Ezra muttered. "I'll make sure they do."

Cristof nodded a little, leaning against his brother. "Thank you Ezra."

"I'm glad to finally see you better..." Ezra said quietly.

He smiled wide, squeezing him closer into his embrace. "I missed you a lot. We shouldn't disappear on each other anymore."

Ezra smiled wrapping his arm around Cristof, "I missed you too. I wanted to come last night."

"Sorry, I vetoed that decision." Lily mused.

"I'd have liked last night a lot too but it doesn't make too much of a difference as of now. Not really anyway." Cristof said.

"Woulda to me." Ezra pouted at Lily.

"You're both too damn cute when you're together." Lily grinned a little.

"Thank you for taking care of Ezra for me, Lily." Cristof smiled wide.

"Thanks Lily." Ezra smiled lightly, "For taking us here, not 'taking care of me'. Now lets go home."

"Awe, you're not arguing, I'm so proud." Cristof said, completely serious no matter how it sounded. He hugged Ezra closer before releasing him. "I already packed the bag you gave me, I'll go get it."

Ezra smiled lightly, watching Cris run off and sighed once more in relief.

"He's okay, Ezra." Lily said softly, letting the thought sink in herself. "He's oddly resilient, as always."

"I know. Feels like a weight's off my chest." Ezra said softly.

"You're a blessing for him." Lily said, getting up and patted his shoulder as she moved past him. "Remember that, would you?"

"Sure." he muttered.

"Good." She smiled, as Cristof was back in the doorway.

"Shall we then?" Ezra asked, finally pulling himself up to stand

"To Lily's house!" Cristof cheered.

* * *

Thanks for reading, happy painless ending. Onto the **epilogue**.

**Silverbolts-** yes…yes they may…^_^ thanks for reviewing.

**Mmary-** horray for reuniting! They're sweet aren't they?

**Miss Sayuri-San**- thanks for reading ^^


	18. Still fine

Epilogue.  
So the journey ends a little better then is started.  
Thanks for reading.

* * *

Adia woke up to Cristof sitting next to her on her bed staring down at her. The first time it'd happened she'd fallen out of the bed because she'd been startled. Now she chuckled, "Its Saturday, you can't be bored."

"No, not bored. I don't get bored quite so easily. Going outside helps with that, you know?" Cristof smiled wide.

"Where's Ezra. He's usually up this early with you." Adia mused.

"Store run. We needed something." Cristof chuckled, laying back next to her. "Are we laying or getting up?"

"You're going to fidget even if I make you lay down." she reached out to poke his stomach to get a laugh.

"Nu uh!" he said, childishly sticking his tongue out at her.

"Yes you would." she chuckled, throwing the blanket over his head suddenly.

"Adia!" He laughed, nearly falling back out of the bed. "Don't be that way!" Pulling his head out and grinning widely at her. It really was hard to remember at times that he was in his early twenties.

Adia was already getting up "But its fun."

"Mean, mean, mean." Cristof pouted but it only lasted a few seconds. It was almost hard for him the frown now that he was able to live at home, and home now involved his two favorite people.

"No mean, love." Adia chuckled, walking to the closet to grab a pair of jeans.

"Yes mean." He smiled, getting up and keeping her blanket draped over his shoulders like cape as he walked out.

"Nu uh." she chuckled, not bothering to change her shirt.

"Yeah huh." he smiled, as he looked back at her. "I already made myself breakfast."

"Where's mine?" she chuckled.

"In the same cereal box mine came from." he chuckled.

"What happened to pancakes? You were getting really good at those. Thought I was gonna get some french toast or something today."

"Well, that's why Ezra's at the store." he shrugged.

"Used up all the batter, huh." she chuckled. "We have the stuff for french toast though I think. Why don't I show you how to make that?"

"What makes it french?" he asked. "I always wanted to know."

"So did I. We should google it." Adia slid her arm through his.

"That just doesn't sound right no matter how many times i hear it." he said, wrapping the blanket around her too.

She laughed softly, "Do you want french toast or not?"

"Okay." he chuckled. "Though Adia is my nurse not my cook. Or was I just not paying attention when that was discussed?"

"I'm not paid to be your cook. But I'm not cooking for you. I'm cooking for me. There just might be leftovers." Adia pointed out.

He laughed softly. "That and I'd whine if I wasn't fed. Adia's a good babysitter."

Adia laughed, "Hilarious because I can't stand babies."

"Wah." He chuckled, letting her go to sit at the kitchen table, still curled up in her blanket.

"Ha ha." she said jokingly, opening the fridge and pulling things out.

He smiled at her. "One must admit, it is pretty much what Adia is paid to do. Be my nanny. Can tell my doctor's to shove it but only if we can prove them wrong with everything being okay now, we win."

"You don't need a nanny. You can even cook for yourself now, that only took a refresher course since you hadn't done it in so long. You basically just need company and a professional voucher." Adia shrugged.

"Maybe so. What I needed was to get out of the sterile environment of that hospital. That was a big help I think. I don't like to be confined." Cristof muttered. "And being close to Ezra."

"You're peppier" she smiled, "Grab the bread for me would you?"

"Sure." he said, leaving the blanket on the chair as he got up to help her. "And I don't really think I'm peppier, this is normal."

"Peppier than you were there. Meaning I notice the difference." She chuckled.

"Mm." he nodded, handing her the bread. "Of course Adia notices. Adia knows me well enough to notice those things."

"I wish I could have seen you in court with all the ranting Erickson was doing when he got back to the office. I want to see how normal you can act to make him seem like a fraud." Adia chuckled.

"Yes. It was killing me to sit there for so long. I was gonna end up crying by the time we got a break. Never thought a break would make me so happy." Cristof muttered. "Lucky I'm good at knowing what to say."

"I feel left out." Adia chuckled.

"Yes. Erickson wasn't the only doctor in the house." Cristof mused. "There were many there I've never seen before. Including the witch's brother."

"Eh…All proven like they paid someone for those damn degrees." Adia mused, laying the first piece in the frying pan.

"And all waiting for me to screw up, doing something so they can 'claim' me first." Cristof laughed. "Silly doctor's. That won't happen."

"And now you're mine, all mine." Adia grinned excessively wide to obtain a crazed look for a moment before laughing.

He laughed instantly with her. "Yes. Which makes Adia a little odd was well, but at least Adia doesn't have to commute."

"That is awesome, lemme tell ya." Adia chuckled.

"Adia just has to roll out of bed and there's work." Cristof smiled. "I like Adia staying with us, and I know Adia likes it too."

"Best job I've ever had." Adia agreed, "Plate please."

Cristof pulled out a plate. "I only want one, please."

"Can do." Adia nodded, "Isn't someone stopping by today?"

"Someone's supposed to. How very lame, what if we had a field trip planned today. So inconvenient." He smiled wide.

Adia laughed, "Could drag them along."

"I picture some old guy in a suit. That doesn't sound like fun to me." Cristof muttered. "But I dunno when Ezra will get home either."

"So? It's all good. You're fine. I'm here, there aren't any power tools laying around." she chuckled.

His smile grew. "That you know of."

"Trouble maker." she chuckled, grabbing a plate for herself.

"Yeah well, i gotta do something while everyone sleeps." he smiled, talking his plate back to the table.

"Why not sleep?" she chuckled.

"I don't always like to sleeping." he said, shoving a large bite into his mouth.

"I know." She smiled, stacking two pieces of french toast onto her plate. "But it doesn't hurt to try now does it."

"Yeah, happens a lot. When I really, really can't sleep, and I actually want to, I'll just sleep with Ezra." Cristof said.

"That's cute." She said, taking a seat across from him.

"Mm? Is it?" he asked, seemingly oblivious.

"Very." she poked his hand with her fork.

"Ow." he whined. "That was a little bit mean. Now I'm forever wounded and scarred. Forever Adia. Ow."

"Awe, sorry sweets, I was just kidding." she reached to rub his hand.

He smiled pathetically, doing his best not to laugh to ruin the effect of his cuteness. "I forgive Adia. Love Adia."

"Love you too sweets." she smiled, taking a bite.

"Visitor, visitor." Cristof sang softly, making no moves to get up anywhere near the door as he continued to slowly eat.

"Maybe if we both yell 'we're not home' he'll go away." She chuckled, contemplating the idea more seriously then she let on.

"Outlook not so good." Cristof mused.

"Well damn." she chuckled, getting up and taking one of her french toast pieces with her.

They heard the doorbell just as she exited the kitchen. After the judge agreed to grant Ezra's proposal, Cristof was able to come home with Adia as his live in nurse, exactly the way he had wanted it to start with. With the doctor's unable to truly diagnose Cristof with an illness, and with him acting so well behaved during the proceedings, the Judge saw no reason that he couldn't go home under Ezra's care.

Opening the door she was met with a woman, which was a far cry from Cristof's assumption of a stuffy old man in a suit. She had a folder under her arm and smiled at Adia. "Hello. Would you be Adia Black?"

"Hi." Adia smiled back, "I'd shake your hand but mine's a lil greasy." She held up the french toast to gesture before taking a bite of it.

The woman laughed gently. "My names Jeanie Sanders. I'm here to check on Cristof Grandie. You should have gotten a call about it earlier."

"I think Ezra did. Cristof's brother, he mentioned something or other. We're having breakfast," Adia nodded for the woman to follow.

"Alright then." Jeanie said, obviously having no trouble keeping things pleasant. "Are both brothers home?"

"Nope, Ezra's food shopping. Cris, Jeanie, Jeanie, Cris the charmer." Adia introduced once they entered the kitchen.

"Hello." Cristof smiled faintly, finished his breakfast and drinking from his glass of orange juice.

Jeanie smiled. "It's nice to meet you Cris. I've heard a lot about you from a lot of people."

"See! I told you you'd be famous some day." Adia chuckled, finished off her breakfast.

Cristof smiled as Jeanie sat down. "Special famous or TV famous?"

"I don't know what the difference is but we'd have to work on the TV thing to get you TV famous." she chuckled.

"I bet it wouldn't be that hard." Cristof smiled.

"You certainly have a vibrant personality." Jeanie laughed softly, flipping through the file she had brought it with her.

"He's a sweetie." Adia smiled, "Did you want any coffee or anything? Water?"

"Water is just fine." Jeanie said. "Thank you very much."

Cristof chuckled softly. "Are you just here to make sure I'm not coloring on the walls or something?"

Jeanie turned her attention back to him and smiled. "I'm just here to see how well adjusted you are. Mostly."

"Coloring the walls I could handle. Running around naked trying to kill people not so much." Adia chuckled, "Which is what they have to check on."

Cristof blinked. "I think they'd notice if I'd turned into a murderer."

"They like their formalities and their paper work." Jeanie nodded. "But getting to know you a little isn't a bad thing."

"Oh! Water." Adia hopped up, popping the last piece of her french toast into her mouth, wiping her hands on her pants. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and walked back to hand it to the woman.

"Thank you." Jeanie repeated, pulling out a pen and marking a few things in her file. She looked up at Adia. "I'll ask you since you are his nurse. You're opinion is just as valued. You agree this is the best environment for Cris?"

"As a nurse and someone who has viewed him in a hospital environment as well as here, I can tell you there is a difference. From the man who would just sit there, staring out the window, wouldn't eat, wouldn't really talk, to this peppy guy." Adia chuckled, "Definitely beneficial. I don't know how much time if any you've spent in the hospital scene but to see someone so involved and happily so, is amazing."

"I am charming." Cristof chuckled.

Jeanie nodded. "I can't say I have your experience but I understand perfectly well what you mean." She turned to Cristof. "As far as I can tell you were no trouble at all until your disappearance. Being home seems to do you some good."

"And that should be Ezra." Adia mused when a noise came from the door as it opened. She was slightly relieved Cristof didn't say anything before like he usually did.

"I like it here." Cristof smiled, leaning his chin on his palm as he spoke to Jeanie. "Ezra and Adia arm my favorite people and getting to be with them makes me happiest. No medication or hospital room can give me that."

Adia had to bite back a grin at the sound of him.

"Hey, you beat me." Ezra said, looking the woman over as he came in with two bags. "Cris, mind grabbing a couple?"

"Mhm." Cristof said, jumping up to help him.

"Nice to meet you." Jeanie smiled at Ezra.

"Nice to meet you too Ms. Jenny?" Ezra asked, trying to recall the name from the conversation he'd had.

"Jeanie" Adia provided.

"He was close." Cristof smiled.

Jeanie nodded good-naturedly. "It's good to get this first meeting out of the way. Will make them easier."

"I agree. Sorry I couldn't be here to meet you." Ezra said, setting the remaining bags down on the counter.

"It's not big deal. It's Cris I really had to check on, not you." Jeanie said.

"Works for me." Ezra mused as he started to empty the bags.

"What's your opinion. It's been a few weeks. Things working out?" She asked.

"I missed him honestly. My brother never should have been put into any kind of care. I've looked after him for longer than I can remember. Don't think I'm trying to be a martyr or anything but my parents are losers, that's the only reason he was in there. They're freaked out because he's not 'normal', still they can't realize he's not weird or handicapped. Things are working out the same way they always did when Mr. and Mrs. Fuck Up didn't screw things up for us—Smoothly. He's happy, I'm happy, man loves Adia." Ezra chuckled, putting things away as he spoke, "Insisted on her being his nurse. I think it's on record from the court. Judge said we'd need a nurse, Cris goes, 'Adia is my nurse'. Judge didn't know what to do with that one."

"Lucky him I'm certified to do this." Adia smiled, "Not usually my preferred occupation but he always was such a sweetie."

"It worked out." Cristof chuckled.

Jeanie nodded, making notes. "Do you have much contact with your parents now? It doesn't particularly matter, but I am a bit curious."

"Not less we have to. They help support him some. Since they were paying the institution anyway and it helps me out." Ezra explained, "It's just preferred that way. On both ends. They came to see him once and if you ask them why not more they'll say they're busy."

Jeanie nodded again, watching as Cristof helped Ezra put everything away without complaint. "I see. No problems then?"

"Nope." Cristof chuckled. "I'm good."

"Cept Adia's a lazy bum." Ezra threw a bag of noodles at her.

"Don't you start" Adia grinned, blocking so it hit her arm. "You loser. I told you from the start I don't do dishes or groceries."

"Ezra. Be nice." Cristof smiled wide. "She made me breakfast."

"I'm only kidding." Ezra chuckled.

Jeanie smiled softly. "The three of you have a good arrangement I think."

"Glad you think so" Ezra smiled lightly, "Feel free to do surprise visits. Worst we can do is not be home."

"Or be dancing." Cristof muttered. "We're horrible dancers."

Jeanie laughed. "Yeah. I'll probably get sent out again, but I think the three of you have this figured out."

"We've had practice." Ezra chuckled.

"Well then, I hope you don't mind if I'll be going. I'll give a report to the judge so you'll have at least a few weeks of peace." Jeanie smiled.

"Cool." Adia smiled, "Was nice to meet you."

"Yeah. We were expecting some grumpy old businessman." Ezra said, unknowingly mimicking Cristof's early thoughts. It made Cristof laughed, but he didn't comment.

"You know, I get that a lot." Jeanie chuckled; getting up with the bottle of water Adia had given her.

"Glad you're not though." Ezra smiled, holding his hand out to shake hers. "Want me to walk you out?"

"Absolutely." Jeanie smiled, tucking her file back under her arm before taking his hand. He shook her hand lightly before leading her back to the front door.

"See, not bad at all sweets." Adia smiled at Cristof.

"Maybe." Cristof agreed, a small smile tugging at his lips. He leaned against Adia with an arm wrapped around her. "And Ezra will be fine."

"Ezra's always fine." she nodded, wrapping an arm around his ribs.

Cristof smiled wide. "Guess I knew that from the start…"

End.

* * *

Thanks for reading. ^_^

Appreciate all the support.

**Silverbolts- **Cris is adorable and all things considered…he's pretty unpredictable.

**Sadistprincess**- hello! I'd wondered where you'd gone. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the epilogue too. Yes, it had to come to an end but I'm glad you liked Lily. She's was sorta the annoying voice of reason but I always got the feeling she could be a right bitch if the occasion called for it. XD Cris has never really had a need for their parents, he's had Ezra.

Woo for being overwhelmed. ^_^

**SeasonsReasons-** thank you so much for reading! I sequel? The idea has merit, but I sorta doubt it. All of Cris' careful planning would have been a waste.


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